dreaming dreams with happy endings
by purinsesu-sereniti
Summary: The year is 1997 and another year of Hogwarts has begun. The castle has been claimed by Voldemort and is run by Severus Snape in his stead. The siblings Amycus and Alecto Carrow are his right-hands, both mad with malice. There are no more detentions but torture sessions reserved for those who dare defy them. Ginny Weasley dares to do so. M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Draco Malfoy did not know what to expect from this year's school term.

His father had told him of a task, however he had not elaborated on the details beyond "helping the Dark Lord" which could have meant many different things. And so he went in blind, unsure and wavering on his loyalties, part of him wishing to be strong enough to go against his father and Voldemort, while the other part of him said to just keep going, this was the only way to ensure his own safety after all. If he turned against them, he would be dead, he'd realized that a long time ago.

The first thing he noticed was the amount of students had dwindled even more that year. In the three years since Voldemort had risen from a concoction of blood, bone, and sacrifice, more and more students had disappeared from the student ranks 'til there was almost nobody left. Most of the remaining students were of parents loyal to Voldemort- or at least of ones who pretended to be. Most, but not all. Some Muggleborns still remained as did some of the half-bloods, and even some of those labeled blood traitors. He had seen a few of those such people- Longbottom and his lot- on the train before he'd shut himself away into the compartment he shared with his own comrades.

The second thing he'd noticed was the atmosphere. Hogwarts had always seemed to remain untainted by the darkness that Voldemort spread. But this year… This year it had finally broken in. At the head table, gone were their beloved teachers, some replaced by Voldemort's own Death Eaters. The Carrow siblings sat side by side, each smirking as they looked out over the pitiful sea of students; Snape of course still occupied the Headmaster's chair, his dark hair longer than ever, his black eyes darting this way and that way as the students awaited the usual beginning of the year speech. When he finally rose up, Draco noticed the man was aging and had thinned out a bit since they'd last seen one another only a few months prior. "Good evening, students," Snape called out, his voice magnified in the large, quiet room. "This is a year of change. A year surely to be fully of triumphs."

Across the hall, all ears heard the female voice that scoffed, and then all eyes turned to the source. A young female sat at the Gryffindor table, her head held in her hand, a bored look to her pretty face. _Ginny Weasley,_ Draco thought as she shifted in her chair, red hair falling down her back like a waterfall. He had never realized how beautiful it actually was, until he was staring at it from across the room, it's length long and its color rich. He'd always thought it obnoxious when it came to her brothers and in truth, he had never paid the girl much mind over the years to have noticed. "Do you have something to say, Miss Weasley?" Snape called out, his dark eyes regarding the girl with irritation. Every single student in the Great Hall was watching the girl, waiting with baited breath for whatever response she was going to give. She merely sighed, sitting up a little straighter as she pinned her headmaster with her intense gaze. Snape arched a brow, as if surprised by her silence, and then turned away as if he thought the moment to be over. "As I was saying- this is to be a year of triumphs. Those of you who have returned to this school will be a witness to them all." He cast a glance left and then right, noticing that the Weasley girl was still staring him down, her gaze powerful. "Then Dark Lord will be pleased to welcome those loyal to him and his cause into his ranks when they have come of age-"

"No!"

The whole student body jumped as the voice rang out, sharp and clear; all eyes turned back to Ginny Weasley, who had jumped to her feet, eyes blazing. "No?" Snape questioned, his eyes narrowing in his anger, his hand curling into a fist at his side. To his left, Professor McGonagall sat on the edge of her seat, fear flickering across her features.

"You can't build him an army with students from this school." Ginny spat, her heart pounding, eyes never leaving Snape's as she stood tall, her slight shoulders squared in her defiance. For several long moments there was nothing but stunned silence. Snape stood before them all, frozen by his anger and shock at this teen girl that was challenging him a mere ten minutes into the first evening back. He should have known better.

"Can't I?" Snape asked, shrugging his shoulders, as if it didn't matter what she said. "You had best learn your place." A snicker. Some of the Slytherins around him laughed as well, as if they even knew what they were laughing about. "I think you've set a new record for the earliest detention. Sit down, Weasley." The girl did not sit and instead, remained standing for a few moments longer, before she turned and stalked down the aisles between the tables, her head held high, her hair billowing behind her, a floral scent catching Draco off guard as she strode past where he sat. And then she was gone, slamming the Great Hall door behind her, leaving the student body stunned and whispering. Snape, unsure where to go from there, clapped his hands and at once the feast appeared upon their tables. Nothing would distract the students from what had just happened, however, and it would be the source of gossip for the weeks to come.

Draco looked up in time to see the male Carrow leaning over to whisper something into Snape's ear, who then nodded and looked out onto the student body. At once he found Draco's gaze and something dark settled into the pit of his stomach. He didn't like that look at all.

[ x x x ]

It only took a few hours for the message to arrive. He was summoned at once to Snape's old office- the one usually reserved for the Potion's professor. As he reached for the door knob, the door instead swung open, and Alecto Carrow stood before him, her red hair pulled back from her face, her eyes full of something Draco could not quite name. He was let enter and he could not help but to glance over his shoulder, to ensure the woman did not come after him like this was a trap of some kind. As he turned back around, his gray eyes fell upon a sight he was not ever prepared to see: someone laying on the floor at Snape's feet, a female he could tell, facedown and unmoving. "Ah, Draco you're here," Snape said easily, stepping around the body to come and stand before him. "Your father told you of your task, I take it?" Draco nodded, not speaking up that there had been no details given to him. He was peering over Snape's shoulder, trying to catch a better glimpse of whoever it was on the floor. "You will escort those who serve detention to and from and perhaps to the Hospital Wing, should they require it." _Hospital Wing,_ Draco thought and suddenly it dawned on him. The unconscious girl. The three adults, all with their wands out, all on the side of Voldemort. This was not detention, this was torture. He found he could not speak so her merely nodded, forcing his gaze away from the body on the floor. Amycus, the brother of the siblings, had stepped around to the female then, using his foot to push her over.

Across the room, a wand tip flared, suddenly casting the room into a dim, hazy sort of light. Draco blinked and at once, the red hair became visible, its color brilliant against the stone floor. His face must have betrayed his shock for the three adults laughed at his expense and Snape reached out to touch his shoulder, a gesture like a father might give to his son. He stepped back slightly, not quite wrenching his shoulder from Snape's grasp; they met one another's gaze and Snape merely smiled and turned away. "Get up, girl," Amycus was bending over her, slapping her cheek, forcing her back to consciousness on the floor.

Ginny groaned, the pain her body felt intense, like white-hot knives stabbing every inch of her skin. The slapping brought her fully back and her eyes snapped open, the disgusting sight of Amycus Carrow the first thing she saw. She closed her eyes and said nothing. Shuffling feet told her he had stepped back and her eyes opened once more, now all she could see was the ceiling. "Take her away." Snape ordered and for a moment, Ginny expected to feel the rough hands of the Carrow siblings yanking her off the ground. Footsteps sounded and then the door opened and closed, leaving Ginny to wonder if she'd actually been left alone. But then, warm, strong hands were on her, those same hands gently lifting her up from the floor and into a sitting position. The pain forced her to close her eyes and she willed away the tears forming behind her lids; she had never experienced torture and she'd lost count over how many times the siblings had nailed her with the curse.

Her eyes opened and she was surprised by the face staring back at her. "Malfoy?" She whispered, blinking fast, her head suddenly swimming. As she began to slump, those same warm hands were at her shoulders, keeping her upright and she opened her eyes again, a small smile toying with her lips. "What are you doing here?" Her voice was soft, full of pain, but her eyes were bright and seemed to swallow him whole as he looked into them. He had never been this close to her before.

"I'm here to escort you." He said sharply, suddenly remembering who he was; he was a Malfoy. He didn't _like_ blood traitors like her. She was on the other side. She was his enemy. He pulled his hands away from her, as if disgusted by touching her, but he could not shake the strange, empty feeling he suddenly felt in the pit of his stomach. "Well, get up," he said, as if exasperated, his arms hanging at his sides for several moments before he heaved a sigh and extended one for her to take. "Come on." After what felt like an eternity, she reached up and took his hand, hers so small it fit perfectly within his grasp. He felt the electric charge shoot up his arm and something passed over her face, as if she felt something too. Clearing his throat, he lightly pulled her onto her feet, watching as she wobbled, threatening to topple over before he took hold of her again. It certainly didn't seem like they'd get very far this way. "Sit down." he ordered, guiding her towards a desk that had long been abandoned. He deposited her in the chair and she leaned forwards, her head resting on the edge of the desk, her breathing shallow and slow.

Standing over her, so weak and quiet, it was strange. It was obvious that they'd given her a full dosage of the Cruciatus Curse- repeatedly. He remembered his own turn under the curse, given by his own father a few months ago, how he had felt just after one time. Knowing the Carrow's, as well as Snape, there was no doubt she'd been attacked numerous times. "Do you want to go to the Hospital Wing?" He asked, his voice low, but he was trying to maintain the persona she knew.

Hearing his words, her head snapped up, brown eyes narrowing as if he'd asked her if she wanted him to murder her family. "No," she spat, fierce determination lighting her up from within. She was suddenly jumping to her feet, ignoring the shooting pains, ignoring the lightheadedness it brought on. She pushed past him, making it an astonishing three steps before stumbling. Draco was there to catch her, his hands shocking her for the third time that evening. "No…" She mumbled, shaking her head, her voice soft and Draco could feel her body trembling beneath his touch. "I don't need help," she said, looking up at him and for a moment, he truly believed her. He knew that if he left her to her own devices, she would indeed make it back to the Gryffindor common room. He knew it would take her hours, it would take her all night, but she would do it on her own just to prove that she could. Draco felt something soften inside his heart and he cursed himself for it.

"Fine." He said, letting go and stepping back, keeping his eyes upon her. "Go on then." He said as if he didn't care at all what she did or what happened to her. In truth, he didn't… Did he? She focused her gaze on him, those brown eyes of hers so full of emotion that he could not look her dead in the eye. He glanced away, arms folding over his chest before he looked back to her, only to find she'd turned away. She was taking a tentative step, then another, and another. She reached the door, pausing, her breathing deep and even, her face gone ashen. Bloody hell she was stubborn.

She didn't need his help. She didn't _want_ his help. Her hand took hold of the door knob and she pulled the door open, escaping out into the dark hallway. It was past time for being out of bed, so the halls were clear and dark. Putting her hand against the wall, she began to make her way down the hall, each step slow and painful, her vision blurring as she fought to stay conscious. After what felt like an eternity, she'd only made it to the steps that would lead to the first floor, which meant there were still six to go before she'd even reach the floor the common room was on. Bloody hell, what was she thinking? She heard his footsteps approaching and she sighed, keeping her eyes trained on the steps ahead of her. "I don't need you." She said when his footsteps silenced, telling her that he was directly behind her.

"It's okay to need help," the words had left his lips before he could stop them. In an instant she had whirled around, her hair swinging with her, and then those eyes were on his. Suddenly, Ginny was reminiscent of a few years back, the year Dumbledore had died, and of something that Harry had said. About how Draco had been crying in the bathrooms, how the only person he could turn to was the ghost of Moaning Myrtle. Blinking, she felt the fight go out of her and her knees give way. She landed on the bottom step and for several long moments they remained in those poses, he standing before her, she on the step, staring at each other as if silence could say it all. And in their case, it did. Draco finally reached out a hand for her to take and though she seemed hesitant, it only took a few seconds before she took it, allowing him to help her up. Without another word, Draco slipped an arm around her waist and hers went over his shoulder and with his help and many stops along the way, they made it to the seventh floor and stood before the sleeping Fat Woman.

Silence.

Ginny felt the heat creeping into her face and she shuffled her weight from foot to foot, unsure of what to say or to do. Draco certainly seemed unsure as well, for he was running a hand through his blonde locks, looking away from her. "Well, get some rest." Draco muttered, turning away from her as if he made to walk away.

"Draco," her soft voice pulled him back and he turned back around, to see her standing there with a sheepish sort of smile on her face. "See you tomorrow," she then said, by way of goodbye, and she turned to climb through the portrait hole, only after uttering the password. As she disappeared through it, he caught onto the meaning behind her last few words. Her detention wasn't over.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Draco woke tired and un-rested. He'd tossed and turned most of the night once he returned to his own dorms, late into the night. The others had all been asleep, but his absence had been noted and that morning questions were flung his way. "Where were you?' "What were you doing?" "Was it an order from the Dark Lord?" "Nah, he's not _that_ important." "Well?" He was pestered all the way down to the Great Hall, where he finally snapped an answer that left the others satisfied and silent. As he and the others took their seats at the table, he could not help but look for her. He didn't expect to see her so he wasn't surprised when her spot at the Gryffindor table was empty.

It was early and students were slowly trickling into the Hall, yawning and grumbling. The first years were the only ones alert, looking around at each other, bright-eyed and eager to begin their first day. Some looked nervous, giving off the impression that they were Muggleborns, still yet overwhelmed at the magic all around them. Draco was remembering his own first days when suddenly a hush fell over the Hall and he heard one of his fellow classmates muttering to the boy beside him. "Look!" Whispers were rising and Draco lifted his gaze, following the line of his friend's gazes. His eyes widened and he sat up a little straighter, watching in shock as Ginny Weasley made her way down the aisle to her table.

She had not even bothered to try and cover her bruises nor her cuts. No, she wore them proudly as she walked through the Hall, well aware of every pair of eyes upon her. She had woken early in the morning, long before any of the others, and so she'd kept the blankets over her face, feigning sleep when the girls had woken and dressed for the day. When the last of them had left and she was alone, she struggled out of bed and into her uniform. Her body ached and she knew it would be awhile before she felt normal again, especially if she had another night of "detention" to look forward to. She had paused before the mirror, taking in the sight of her face; bruised and cut, a swollen lump on her left temple. For a moment she had contemplated covering them up, thinking of the Muggle makeup Hermione had given her that summer, but she shrugged and then left. Let them see what they did to her. Let them see what would happen to all of them, should they disobey in any way, shape, or form.

As she took her spot at her table, beside Neville and across from some first years, she felt all the eyes still on her. At the head table, Snape was sitting forward, his eyes on her, surprised by both her arrival and her appearance. He should have known she'd pull such a stunt.

"Ginny, what happened?" Neville whispered as the empty dishes filled with food, his hazel eyes wide, his mouth taut with concern. "Bloody hell." He was taking in every inch of her bruised face, thinking of what her brothers would do if they saw her in such a state. It was only the first morning of classes! He watched as she reached for a piece of toast, her silence giving him all the answers he needed. His gaze swiveled from her to the head table, then back to her. "You should…"

"Neville, please," she responded, cutting him off, turning to face him with blazing eyes. "I should do nothing." Her tone was calm, her eyes gentling as she smiled slightly. "It's okay. I'm fine." She shook her head, letting herself turn away to where Snape sat at the head table. She smiled at him then, lifting her hand in a gesture of hello, her spirits clearly not broken by last night's events. Snape sat back, his face passive, though his eyes said it all. "This is what will happen if you disobey," she said to the first years seated around her as she pointed to her own face, all of whom were staring at her with wide-eyed expressions of shock and terror. "So, even if you don't agree with what they say or what they make you do, listen to them." The first years nodded simultaneously and Ginny smiled, hoping they would take her words to heart.

Across the hall, Draco could not help but to stare; she wore her marks with pride, and though she was pale and probably in pain, she was smiling. He watched as she said something to the first years sitting around her, and he watched as they nodded while she pointed to her face. It slowly dawned on him then just what she was doing. She was protecting those students, all of them who might have disagreed with the war, with Voldemort and his Death Eaters. She was telling them what would happen if they didn't listen to Snape. "Draco," the female voice pulled him back and he turned to Pansy, who was scrunching her face in dislike. "Why are you _staring_ at her?"

"She's a mess," he replied with a shrug, as if it didn't matter all that much. "Got what she deserved, didn't she?" The others around him snickered and nodded, and soon breakfast returned to a level of normalcy. Though it certainly seemed like Ginny Weasley would become the center of attention and gossip for the next eternity.

[ x x x ]

Evening came and Ginny made her way back to the Potions office; the door was left ajar, as it had been the nights before, and she slipped inside. To her surprise, Snape was not there. Amycus raised his wand, pointing it over her shoulder and she heard the click of the lock. He and Alecto exchanged a quick glance and he came forward, his smile sending chills down her spine. "Where's Snape? You here to do his dirty work?" Her voice was sharp, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took one tentative step back from the man. She bumped into the wall and knew she had no where to go. The siblings shared a laugh and Amycus pointed his wand directly at her chest.

"I could do whatever I wanted." He told her, his smile suggestive, and immediately Ginny tensed. "I could kill you if I wanted." He tilted his head, staring her down, surprised by the intense stare she gave right back. If she was frightened, she was good at hiding it. "Snape don't care. The Dark Lord doesn't care." He turned to his sister, who was smiling slightly, as if she were enjoying the scene before her. "What do you think?" He asked her as she came forward, to stand beside him, her wand out as well.

"That's too easy, don't you think Amycus?" Alecto responded, looking from her brother to the girl standing before them. Amycus chuckled, turning back to the redhead, nodding in response. He lifted his wand and uttered the curse- it hit its mark and the girl went down screaming. He and Alecto came to stand over, watching as she writhed in the pain on the floor.

Slamming face first onto the stone floor, Ginny felt her lip split, could taste the blood as it filled her mouth. But she shut her mouth, silencing her screams- she would not give them the satisfaction of hearing them. The curse was only toying with her- the pain was not real. The after affects, the bruising and bleeding and physical pain all came from the kicks and jabs given once she was defenseless. That was why, though pained as she'd felt that morning, she'd been able to rise and walk about. She knew the same would be for the next morning. She just had to make it through this. The pain of the Cruciatus Curse drove some people mad- but not her. The first wave of the curse subsided and she pushed herself up, panting as she looked up into their faces, seeing nothing but the malicious intent behind their eyes. They lived for this. They _enjoyed_ doing this to her and to all the others they'd done it to. Torturing students… It disgusted her. She could only hope there would be no one else. Lifting her hand, she wiped away the blood from her lips, her eyes not once straying from Amycus' eyes. He shifted suddenly, as if uncomfortable by her stare. Unsure how to deal with such a feeling, he was lifting his wand once more. "Crucio."

For the second time she hit the ground, turning just slightly to avoid hitting her face once again; instead she fell on her right side and curled up, forcing herself to not scream, to not even utter one single sound. Three rounds later she lay on the floor at their feet, head swimming, the darkness of unconsciousness threatening to claim her. This was worse than the night before. She had come to realize that of all people, Snape had been offering her a form of protection. The Carrow siblings could only go so far in his presence because he knew she _was_ important. But without him being there, they were free to do as they pleased. "It's no fun if she won't scream." Amycus complained, reaching down to grab a fistful of her hair, yanking her upwards. Ginny could not stop the yelp that escaped her lips as she was pulled up by the length of her hair; Amycus gripped it tightly, bending down so he was face to face with her. She closed her eyes, feeling his hot breath on her face as he sneered at her. "I want you to scream!" He hissed, throwing her back down onto the ground, watching through narrowed eyes as she struggled into a sitting position. Beside him, Alecto put a hand to his elbow, as if she meant to calm him. He wrenched his arm away from her and took the few steps it took to close the gap between him and the girl. Ginny looked up as he came to stand over her, his wand pointed at her face. "Don't make me mess up that pretty face," he snarled, the tip of the wand pressed to her forehead. Ginny closed her eyes. Silence.

He hit her across the mouth, knocking her down once more, the hit opening her lip once more and leaving a bruise to begin forming. "Amycus," Alecto called out and the man turned to his sister, who said something that Ginny could not hear. Then she heard it, the knocking on the door. "Your detention is over." Alecto told her, her footsteps reverberating in her ears as she lay on the floor. Ginny listened as the door opened and she heard the steps that told her the siblings had gone out the door. More footsteps, this time approaching her, and she felt the eyes upon her a moment before a hand reached out to brush hair from her face. Her eyes snapped open and she found herself to be staring into a pair of stormy gray eyes- eyes full of hundreds of different thoughts and feelings. He was crouched before her, hovering really, his hand still outstretched.

"Draco," she greeted through gritted teeth, pushing her elbow into the concrete as she tried to prop herself up. He assisted her up and she pulled away, her hand gingerly touching her bloody lip, fingertips trailing across her bruised mouth and the knot forming on her temple. "Lucky you," she began, pausing as her stomach turned, threatening to expel her dinner onto the floor. The wave of nausea passed and she looked back up at him. "This is my last detention…." _For now_ , the unspoken words fell between them and she chuckled in spite of her pain, in spite of it all. "Now what will you do every night?" This was their routine, he coming to get her every night that first week back.

"Sleep." He replied with a smirk, rising up, his hand still offered to her. She took it willingly, having come to reason that she really did need his help, as much as she didn't like to admit it. "Try not to get in trouble, eh?" He knew that was probably asking a lot. He'd come to know her a little bit better with each night and the day that would follow. To watch her walk the halls each and every day, covered in bruises and aching with the pain, with her head held high… It was amazing, honestly, not that he'd ever admit that aloud. She was doing exactly what annoyed Snape the most- to not play a victim. She laughed at his comment but he saw the flicker of pain that passed over her features. At least it was the weekend and she could rest for the following two days without interruption. Though, knowing her, she would be up that next morning as if nothing was wrong.

"I'll try," she promised with a grin as he slid his arm around her, giving him the ability to help her walk from the room. They went on in silence, as they usually did, but that night there was something burning within her, something she needed to ask. "Hey…" He turned to look at her, somewhat surprised by her speaking. Usually she kept quiet while they made their way up to the Gryffindor tower. "Why do you actually help me?" They passed beneath a torch and it lit up her face for a moment, the bruising and swelling a little more apparent now. "You could leave me down there to fend for myself, they'd be none the wiser."

Draco was more surprised by her words than he thought he would be. He was taken aback, unsure of what to say because he honestly wasn't sure. Why _did_ he help her? She was right after all. Snape probably wouldn't even care if he did it or not. Part of him knew the answer- that he _liked_ seeing her, so full of fierce determination even after a torture session. That he was impressed by her. He wasn't going to tell her that though. "Because that's what was asked of me." He replied tartly, turning his head back to face forward. "There's no other reason." He added, as if he needed to be certain she understood there was no ulterior motive to his actions. If she didn't believe him, she didn't speak on it, and instead they lapsed into their usual silence.

As they approached the portrait hole, Ginny offered him a small smile and pulled away, to stand before the painting that would swing open and let her inside. "I just hope you don't have to help anyone else," she said softly, more so to herself than to him. He watched as she turned to go, uttering the password that would let her inside. As she disappeared behind it, Draco felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Me too…" He murmured, before he turned and was gone down the hall.

[ x x x ]

He did not see her for the whole weekend.

Not that he'd expected to, of course, but a small part of him maybe had hoped to. He wondered if she was okay. His feelings confused him, left him feeling unsure and a little on the edge. By Sunday evening he'd snapped at five different people before he finally given up and separated himself from his usual gang of friends. Dinner had already passed and so there were a few hours before they would be forced to their dorms for bed. Draco took this time to escape the castle; the air was cool, the wind strong, telling him that winter would be on its way before they knew it. He was glad to have his cloak. September was hardly close to being over but the summer warmth had long since faded. He'd thought about returning to the castle when something caught his attention- the long red hair that danced along the breeze as the lone form walked down towards the lake. Without thinking about it, he followed after her, unable to stop himself once he got going. She stopped and took a seat beneath a willow tree (one that of course did not try to attack anyone who got too close) and Draco paused a short distance away. She had nothing with her, no bag, no cloak, no nothing. She was simply dressed in her uniform, her hair falling over her shoulders as she reached out to dip a hand into the lake.

It took him several minutes to gain the ability to move once more and he found his heart was beating wildly in his chest as he approached her. The sound of footsteps surprised her and she turned around, her eyes finding his as she stood up. Her face was still badly bruised, but the swelling had gone down a fair amount. He could see that she'd not bothered to go to the Hospital Wing and instead chose to wear her injuries like a banner. Her words from their last encounter rang in his head and he tried to find something to say. Anything. _Say something, you git,_ he said to himself, but though his mouth opened, no words would come out. "Draco," her vocals were soft, her eyes even softer as she beckoned him closer. "Wanna sit?" She sat back down herself and patted the space beside her, a gesture for him to join her. For a moment, he debated, but something drew him closer to her. He took a few steps and then plopped down beside her, as if they were old friends, as if this was something they did every day.

"You weren't at dinner," he said and she then turned to him, arching a brow. "Not yesterday either." He went on, his hands a mess in his lap. "Aren't you hungry?" The words sounded lame and he immediately wished he could take them back.

Ginny could not help but to giggle at his expense. "Maybe a little," she said, sobering at the look upon his face. She was surprised, in all honesty, that he even seemed to care a little bit about her well-being. This was not the Draco Malfoy she knew. "I've been asleep," she admitted a moment later, that being her reasoning behind not being at any of the meals over the last two days. "How do I look? I haven't seen anyone to ask." She gestured at her face. Draco glanced her over and reached out a hand, surprising her yet again as his flesh connected with hers. His fingers ran over the bump on her temple and down her cheek, which was dark blue and green with a bruise. Her mouth was still yet swollen and he could see the faint outline of another bruise near her collarbone, which he caught sight of as she shifted before his scrutiny. What did he say to such a question? And why was his heart beating so very fast?

She was blushing beneath his fingertips and he drew them away, feeling his own cheeks begin to redden. "Are you in pain?" He asked, avoiding answering her question all together. She shrugged, turning away, the sun illuminating her as it sunk low on the horizon. Darkness was coming. "Are you going to cause them trouble all year?" He watched as a smile twitched on her lips and again she shrugged.

"Someone has to." She replied after a moments thought. "I have big shoes to fill, though," she continued, thinking of her troublemaking brothers who came before her. "Besides, if they pay attention to me, then maybe no one else will have to suffer." Her eyes closed and she drew her knees up to her chest, arms winding around them. That was it, that was all she could contribute to the war right then. Keeping the student body safe from Voldemort's lackeys. She supposed seeing her in such a state was enough to keep people quiet- besides, Voldemort struck enough fear into the world that she was certain even the most loyal of children would bow before him.

"You're brave," he said quietly, his eyes staring straight ahead at the sun that was about to fall beneath the horizon. The moon was rising above them, offering a soft, silvery glow across the land. "Braver than me." He added, even softer than the previous statement, so soft that Ginny wasn't even certain she'd heard him say the words at all. She was willing to put aside her own health and happiness all in order to protect the other students- to protect her friends that still remained in the castle. She knew it would not be long before Longbottom was saying something he shouldn't have, or that Loony Lovegood girl. It was only a matter of time before it was someone else. But she was willing to cause enough trouble that Snape and the other's paid no one else any mind. That was something he couldn't quite understand, but admired all the same. To care about someone else so much… Even just a friend, even just a classmate. He couldn't even imagine one of his own so-called "friends" to do such a thing for him.

"No one else needs to suffer." She said quietly, her voice drawing his gaze back to her face, her smile offering him a little hope. Darkness had fallen around them and he watched her shiver, the air chillier now that the sun had gone down. He gave it only a moment of thought before he pulled his own cloak off, extending it to her to take. She reached a tentative hand out, grasping the cloak in her hand, her eyes posing the silent question. He nodded and she took it, slipping it on. It was still warm from his body. "Thank you." Her voice was soft, her smile returning as they sat there, silence descending. Her heart was beating hard within her chest, her cheeks full of heat and she was thankful for the cover of darkness.

He merely nodded, unable to find any other words to say. She tugged his cloak closer around her slim frame and he resisted the urge to reach out and brush back a stray strand of her hair. They sat, side by side, for what could have easily been hours. But finally, one of them had to go. They would be missed and surely e nightly curfew had already passed. Rising up from the ground, Draco offered her his hand, thankful that this time it was not to get her up off a floor. They walked together back to the castle doors, where she made to shed the cloak from her shoulders, but he shook his head. "Wear it. You're still cold." He noted her slight shivering and she turned away, blushing, but she nodded all the same. "Good night," he said, smiling the first true smile he'd felt in a long, long time. She smiled too and then was gone, heading down the hall in his cloak, her disappearance up a flight of stairs leaving him empty.

Things were certainly changing.


	3. Chapter 3

The days turned to weeks and weeks faded to months. It wasn't long before the snow was falling and before the students knew it, it was time to pack up and head home for the holiday. As usual, there were very few students to remain behind, even in the time of war where Hogwarts was arguably the safest place for them all. But, despite the dangers that lurked outside the walls, most of the students were gone and it left the school a dark and eerily quiet place.

Of all people, Ginny remained behind. This was the first holiday she'd ever chosen to stay behind and though she felt bad about it, she knew she could not go home looking as she did. Her mother wrote to her, pleading with her to return, but Ginny had written back to tell her she needed to stay for schoolwork. How could she go home covered in bruises? If she did, they'd never let her return. She had served another week's worth of detention that had only ended the night before the break was to begin. She noticed that Draco remained as well, though his gaggle of friends had all gone on home, which left her to wonder why he'd not gone home too. In fact, an astonishing number of Slytherins had gone home for the holiday and Ginny wondered if there was a gathering of some kind planned. Chuckling at herself as she strode the halls, she turned a corner much too quickly and collided with someone else. Her bag tumbled from her shoulder and she stumbled, but a hand reached out to steady her. "I'm sorry, I wasn't watching-" she trailed off, a surprised look passing over her face as she realized who'd she had bumped into. "Professor." Her tone was cool, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly as Snape met her gaze.

"Miss Weasley," he greeted with a sleazy smile, reaching down to retrieve her bag from the ground. "I see you've decided to stay behind for the holidays." His tone was mocking, his gaze knowing. "Perhaps you should have gone home," this was not a threat, but perhaps an honest observation. "I'm sure your parents will miss you, and perhaps Potter and those friends of his too." Ginny arched a brow, keeping herself from expressing any sort of emotion. Harry? Did he think Harry would actually show up at her parent's home for Christmas? Is that what Voldemort thought? Something cold crept into her heart and for a moment, she wondered if she truly should have gone home.

"I doubt that, sir," she said with a cheery smile, taking him by surprise. "They're too busy for Christmas, don't you think?" Snape blinked, questioning her as to what she meant. "Oh, you don't know?" She said sweetly, her eyes flashing. "They're out searching for whatever it is that will destroy You-Know-Who." Her words came freely and at once she knew she would regret them, but honestly, she didn't care. "It's only a matter of time."

Snape's eyes widened and then narrowed, his cheeks flooding with heat as he stared down the young woman before him. He could snap her in two if he wanted. He hated that sweet smile, that rebellious spirit. Voldemort had told him about her, long ago, when his body had been returned to him. _She'll cause us trouble someday,_ Voldemort had said after the messy business in the Department of Mysterious. _I remember her, I remember her well. Watch her, Severus, watch her always._ Then they had learned of her relationship with Potter- Severus could remember that the two were inseparable that year and then Dumbledore died and Potter never returned. He went off the grid, lost to them. He was out there somewhere, though they'd been unable to track him or his friends. "Is that what you think?" Snape breathed, his voice quiet with anger, his eyes meeting hers. She did not back down, instead she stood a little straighter, her small shoulders squared, chin jutted out in defiance. "Potter will fall. Your family will fall. Your whole side will fall and the Dark Lord will prevail."

Unable to stop herself, Ginny laughed, the sound quick to fall from her lips. "Harry won't fail. And there's plenty more of us to take on his role if he does. You-Know-Who's reign of darkness is going to end sooner than you think." She then snatched her bag from his hand and strode past him, her red hair billowing in her wake. She walked away feeling giddy and excited, despite knowing she would certainly be summoned for detention yet again. But it didn't matter, oh it just didn't matter.

[ x x x ]

Walking into the room, Ginny could sense the different atmosphere. Just as she'd expected, her detention summon had come only hours after her encounter with Snape. She had written home, to tell her family she was thinking of them and she hoped they were safe, and by the time she'd returned from the owlery the summons was on her bed. Behind the desk, Snape sat, his long fingers pressed together. One cloaked figure stood behind him, the hood on their cloak pulled up high over their face, preventing her from seeing his identity. "Miss Weasley, good of you to join us. I was just telling my friend here how much you believe in Potter and his ideals of saving the world." Ginny could feel her heart thumping in her chest, the sound hollow in her ears. Something did not feel right about this. The door slammed closed behind her and she spun, surprised to see a second figure that she had not noticed before hand. The door was locked and the figure came closer- she backed away, bumping into the professor's desk, her back to Snape and the other cloaked figure. "You think your lot can win this war… Well let's see you fight." He snapped his fingers and the two figures came together, standing side by side, they slowly lowered their hoods revealing two men she did not recognize- low in the ranks, she could only assume. Her heart skipped a beat and she clutched tightly to her wand, biting her lower lip as the men closed in on her. She had no choice.

In an instant, spells were flinging; flashes of blue, green, red, so many colors bouncing off the four walls. Ginny deflected a curse and shot one back of her own, knocking the one man back a step or two. From where he sat and watched, Snape could not help but to be impressed. For a witch as young as she was, she certainly knew how to handle herself on the battlefield. Well, even if she came out the victor against the two, she'd never make it against him.

Fast thinking gave Ginny the upper hand and she used it to her advantage. In an instant, she'd blown up a spare desk that the one man had tried to shield himself behind. A stray piece of wood caught him in the arm and he yelped, jumping back up to fling a spell at her. It whizzed past her face, slicing her cheek open and she hissed in pain, brown eyes narrowing. She had to get herself out of this somehow. In a stroke of luck, she disarmed the one and he backed away, his wand halfway across the room. That left her with only the one man to deal with. They locked eyes and in an instant the room was ablaze with the curses that ricocheted off the walls. Ginny dodged the best that she could but it was a few minutes into the fight that a disarming spell finally caught her and her wand spun away from her grasp. The man inched closer, his wand held high, and a spell collided with her chest, sending her sprawling to the ground. "That's enough." Snape's voice filled her mind as she struggled up, staggering to her feet despite the ache in her bones. He waved the other man away and came to stand before her, his dark eyes finding hers. "You are defenseless, Miss Weasley? Do you give up?" To his surprise, she shook her head, silent and defiant, her narrowed eyes bright against the darkness of the room. "Perhaps you need a little persuasion…" He raised his wand and Ginny braced herself, though nothing could really prepare you for the Cruciatus Curse.

When she hit the floor her head connected hard with the stone and everything went hazy for a moment; she came to as the wave subsided and she struggled to lift her head, to meet Snape's gaze. He was surprised, to see her moving, to see her rising back up as if he had not attacked her. As if she thought she truly was going to come out the winner. "You're a weak man, hiding behind _his_ skirts." Bam! The curse threw her back to the ground, this time smashing her face into the stone floor. She was laughing as she rose up that time, this time only to her knees, red hair falling around her face, brown eyes flickering. "That's it? I expected more from you." She knew it was coming a moment before it hit. Ginny knew tomorrow she would regret this, but it was too late, she could not stop the words from tumbling from her lips. "You're a coward," she spat, the blood filling her mouth from her split lip. It dribbled over her mouth, leaving her lips slick and stained, her face pale but her eyes ablaze.

Snape felt his world swirl as the girl hurled her temper-fueled words at him, the word _coward_ hitting his ears like an explosion. He felt his temper rising- of all things to call Severus Snape, coward was the worst choice a person could make. His blood was boiling as he stepped forwards; it took all of his self control not to curse her into oblivion right then and there. But he knew better- despite his anger, he knew the Dark Lord would not be pleased if he got rid of the girl. However… He hadn't said much about how well she faired physically and mentally. So long as she lived, that was what mattered. Snape knew it probably wasn't in his best interest to use the curse that came to mind, but like Ginny, the words were falling from his lips before he could stop them.

"Sectumempra."

Ginny heard the curse he uttered and she panicked, throwing her arms up over her face in an attempt to shield her face from the hit. She had never witnessed the curse first hand, but she had heard of it from Harry, could remember when he'd used it upon Draco the year Dumbledore had died. She felt the skin on her forearms slicing open, as if sliced by a sword. Blood splashed across the floor as she fell back, the curse slicing across her abdomen, her legs, and it even caught her across the forehead. It wasn't long before the blood flow was reaching dangerous levels- she could feel herself fading in and out as the blood rushed from her wounds. Was this it then…? Was this it for her? She heard footsteps and she tensed, the pain forcing a groan from her lips; she could hear Snape's heavy breathing as he leaned over her, his wand raised once more. Oh merlin, he was going to kill her. But then something soft and song-like was coming from his lips and she immediately could feel the blood flow lessening. A second wave of this new spell and Ginny felt her wounds begin to close- enough that the blood flow was over, but not enough that she couldn't reopen them. He had healed her, but only a little.

"Perhaps now you'll learn your place." Snape's quiet words came minutes later- so much later that she thought perhaps he'd gone from the room. She heard the rustle of his robes as he stood and the sound of his footsteps as he crossed the room. A quiet knocking sounded and she felt her heart skip a beat. She heard the exchange of words, too quiet for her to make out, but she could hear the male vocals. A shiver raced down her spine and she could only hope that it was over. That Snape would leave and Draco would be free to collect her and go.

He was surprised to see that Snape was not alone, though it was not the Carrow siblings that had joined in on Ginny's detention. The cloaked man slipped out past him and then he was gone. Draco kept his face passive as he spoke with Snape, listening intently to his instructions, but his heart roaring with sudden emotions. Emotions he'd never felt before. It took everything in his power not to curse Snape right there, his anger surging through him like never before. He nodded, listening as Snape instructed him not to take her to the Hospital Wing, that she didn't need the care, and to dump her where he saw fit. That he would be going to meet the Dark Lord for a few days, that he would tell him that he was pleased with his work he was doing. That the Carrow's would be in charge of the castle over the holiday break. And then, he was gone.

At once, Draco rushed to her side, dropping to his knees at her side. "Ginny?" His voice was raw, his gray eyes moving over her entire frame, taking in every cut that marred her skin. Her uniform was cut to pieces, bloodstains ruining what fabric remained. She was pale and broken, worse off than he'd ever seen her in all her detentions previously. He of course recognized the curse she'd been struck with, as Potter had gotten him with it the year before. However, Snape had healed him more or less completely, and he'd only required some dittany and bandaging from the Hospital Wing. Ginny looked like she'd only been healed enough to stop the blood, to just barely close the wounds she was covered in. "Ginny? Can you hear me?"

Floating in and out, Ginny heard his voice; her eyes fluttered open and she found herself staring up into a pair of stormy gray eyes. "Draco?" She whispered, her voice soft, cracking over the syllables of his name. She was aching everywhere, the pain of both the torture and the curse more than she had ever expected. "Is he…" She was arching up, peering around, her fear evident to him. For the first time, she truly was frightened of what Snape was capable of doing. She was truly frightened of him.

"Don't move." Draco said softly, putting his hands against her shoulders, keeping her down on the floor. "You'll only open your wounds back up." He was looking over her again, realizing a moment later that so much more had gone on than ever before. "He got you good," the statement was more so to himself than to her, but to his great shock she gave a halfhearted sort of laugh. "Let me help," he was brandishing his wand then, conjuring up bandages and he glanced around the room, knowing he needed more than just those. There was the threat of infection, of scarring. He spotted the shelves full of various bottles and he stood, leaving her side for a moment to rummage through them, looking for anything that would help him help her. To his delight, he found a bottle of dittany and he returned to her side. "I need to…" He was blushing despite the situation and she nodded, her own hands reaching down to yank open her blouse, revealing her wounds to him.

An hour later, he'd bandaged her the best that he could; if he caused her any pain, she certainly didn't let on, and by the time he'd finished she was floating in and out of unconsciousness. Judging by the amount of blood on her clothes and the floor, she'd lost a lot of it, so he wasn't surprised she was so out of it. Draco sat back, taking a deep, even breath, running his hands through his hair. As he pulled them away, he looked down, seeing the blood splatter that marred his pale flesh. He looked back to her, pale and small on the floor, her chest rising and falling with every breath that she took. It was then that he knew he couldn't do it any longer. That he had to make a choice as to what side he was on. She didn't deserve the treatment she received, especially something like this. No one did. And just like that, his choice was made.

On his knees, he reached down, scooping her up as gently as he could; she moaned softly, her head moving back and forth as she tried to speak. "Shh, it's okay," he said, his voice low, his tone tender. Her weight was warm and comforting in his arms. Rising up from the floor, he immediately exited the room, heading out into the darkened corridor, well aware danger lurked at every corner. Snape could easily have lied; the Carrow's could be watching from anywhere; the cloaked figure he'd seen could be lurking about. Anything and anyone could pose a threat to him (and her) now. He climbed a few sets of stairs, trying to decide what to do and where to go. He couldn't get her into the Gryffindor common room, nor could he take her to the Hospital Wing… The options were slim. And then suddenly, brilliance struck.

He took another three flights of stairs and was dumped out onto the seventh floor; however, he did not take the usual path to the Gryffindor dorms. Instead, he walked along a separate corridor, where a tapestry hung. He walked back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, one thought on his mind: _I need a safe place for her, I need a safe place for her._ At once, a door appeared and he felt his heart turnover. It worked! He threw open the door and closed it behind him, knowing that the moment it shut, the door disappeared on the outside. They were safe.

The room was spacious and reminded him of a more "homey" hospital wing. There were two beds pushed against a wall, a fireplace against another, and shelves upon shelves of books and bottles brimming with what he could only assume were potions. He breathed a sigh of relief and moved across the room, depositing Ginny upon the nearest bed. He slipped her shoes from her feet and pulled back the blankets, tucking them gently around her. She murmured softly, something he could not make out, and then silence fell.

Now all he could do was wait.


	4. Chapter 4

_She was falling… Falling faster and faster, voices murmuring around her, eyes watching her as she fell deeper into darkness. Was no one going to help her? Was no one going to reach out? Then a hand grasped hers and she snapped to a stop, her heart beating madly within her chest. She peered up into the darkness above her and a pair of stormy gray eyes stared back at her…. "Ginny…" a voice called out to her, a familiar voice, a male voice. "Ginny…" There it was again, the same voice and those same eyes staring back at her. And then she was rising, being pulled upwards to safety. Her feet landed on solid ground and she opened her mouth to speak, but the eyes were gone, the hand had let go, and she was alone once more. She took a tentative step forward, her heart beat quickening as her anxiety mounted. Another step forward and then she was falling once more, this time past familiar faces- her parents, her brothers, even Harry and her friends… This time, there was no hand to save her._

She snapped awake with a gasp; her body jumped up, red hair swinging as she twisted around, eyes searching the unfamiliar room. It reminded her of the Hospital Wing, but it certainly wasn't that. "You're awake," a male voice intoned softly and she jumped, turning to see Draco Malfoy standing at her bedside, regarding her with those gray eyes of his. _Like in my dream…?_ She wondered to herself but she shook her head, clearing away the images. No, it couldn't have been. It had been just a dream, she told herself, only a dream.

Draco could not help but to stare at her; she was pale, her brown eyes bright with her fever, her red hair brilliant against the milky white of her skin. She was… Beautiful. He could not help himself from feeling such a way, though it confused him a little. Of all people, he never would have thought he'd think of her that way. "You're awake," he repeated, coming closer, taking a seat on the edge of the other bed. He had watched over her for two days now, coming and going to keep anyone from getting too suspicious about his disappearance. He'd heard whispers amongst the few students remaining behind that she had seemingly vanished, but most of them played it off as she had merely returned home at the last moment possible. "I was getting worried, it's been two days."

A slow realization began to dawn on Ginny's foggy brain; he'd brought her here. He'd bandaged her wounds. He'd been _taking care of her_. For two days! Now that she looked a little more closely, she could see he was somewhat disheveled, his hair askew and his clothing wrinkled. She looked away from him, holding up her arms, brown eyes sweeping over the evidently fresh bandages placed upon them. Her hands snapped back the blankets, her clothing all in place, but she could feel the bandages beneath them. She winced as she pulled the blankets back, her wounds tight, the healing skin threatening to burst beneath the bandages. Her brain was hazy and she leaned back, realizing a moment later she was riddled with a fever. "You… You did this for me?" She asked, turning her head to face him, her voice weak, her tone incredulous. Draco blushed slightly and stood up, moving around to the other side of her bed, to where a basin of water sat on the table beside it. "I don't… I don't understand." She shook her head, red hair tumbling across her shoulders as she leaned forward, her eyes on him. "Why?" There was so much she didn't understand. Helping her from detention was one thing- that was his _job_ (she had overheard Snape referring to it as such a few weeks prior). But all of this…? This didn't make sense. She knew something was different about him, especially after that day by the lake, but that moment had been an irregularity. The only one of its kind. She had never expected all of this.

 _Why…?_ The question, as simple as it was, didn't have an easy answer. He didn't know himself, at least not fully. A heavy sigh escaped him and he turned back to her, the water basin abandoned. "When I… When I saw you, bleeding on the floor, something snapped inside of me." He replied, his honesty bringing a rush of heat and color to his cheeks. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open slightly, her surprise evident, and suddenly Draco wished the floor would swallow him whole. But… He'd already begun, hadn't he? He pressed on, despite fearing he'd say the wrong thing entirely. "I never wanted… I don't want to be…" Reaching up, he ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it more than ever, and then sank onto the edge of her bed, his gaze on the floor. "I don't want to be one of them." He said very quietly, so quietly that Ginny wasn't certain she'd heard him speak at all. Despite the sharp pain, she sat up, watching as something like relief passed over his features. How long had he been waiting to make that admission? His whole life? Slowly he lifted his face to her and their eyes met; several long moments passed and neither could find the words to say.

Something that felt strangely heartbreak filled her up, threatening to spill over in the form of tears. And she wasn't even a crier. Blinking fast, she forced them away and reached out a hand, slipping it over his; his skin was warm to her touch, as she recalled from that very first detention she'd had. There were so many things that she wanted to say, but instead she merely smiled, a sweet smile that he had never before been on the receiving end of. "Thank you," she finally said, giving his hand a squeeze, her heart swelling with something she wasn't sure she'd ever felt before.

[ x x x ]

As the next few days passed, the two did nothing but talk. It was surprisingly easy to talk to Draco, though had you asked her months ago she would have disagreed. He was anything but the boy he let everyone else believe him to be. He was not the pompous, prejudiced, spoiled Pureblood like he made himself out to be. They talked about everything; their childhoods (different in every way possible), their families, their fears and even their hopes for the future. She talked about her possession by Voldemort and he about being forced into almost murdering Dumbledore. They talked about his fears of getting out from beneath Voldemort and his father and she spoke of her fear of losing her loved ones. She offered him what wisdom she could and he reassured her that she could not be blamed for opening the Chamber of Secrets, for hurting people she cared about. They both hurt but for different reasons and in different ways. They both shouldered a little darkness.

It was the first morning of the second week when Ginny decided she was well enough to leave the Room of Requirement. Draco had insisted she remain hidden away until her wounds were healed enough that she didn't have to fear opening them again. By that eighth day, she was feeling much more like herself, a little sore perhaps, but ready to stretch her legs. She dressed in the outfit Draco had somehow managed to get for her- a pair of jeans and an oversized sweater in a soft blue. The door opened and she turned, coming face to face with him, his hair combed and his cloak thrown hastily over his clothes. He extended to her a folded cloak as well as a scarf she recognized to be her own- its thin stripes the crimson and gold of Gryffindor. "Draco, where are-" he cut her off, pressing a finger to her lips, winking.

"Come on, put your hood up," he instructed, unable to pull his gaze away as she wound the scarf around her neck and drew her hood up over her fiery red hair. He put a hand on her elbow and guided her out of the room and the moment they'd exited, the door vanished, gone until someone else required it. He led her down the corridor to the flights of stairs that would lead them down to the main floor, right to where the foremost double doors were. "We're going to Hogsmeade." He grinned when he saw her surprised face. "The only perk of who I am." He shrugged, pulling his cloak tighter, fastening it into place as he pushed open the doors.

The Decemeber air was cold and crisp against her cheeks and Ginny sucked in a deep breath, letting the chill fill her lungs for a moment before she expelled the breath in a cloud of white. "So what, does your father being You-Know-Who's right hand get you bonus Hogsmeade trips?" She shot him a smirk to which he returned with one of his own.

"I guess you could say that," he said and she laughed, the sound lovely to his ears, a sound he had become accustomed to over the last week. "Everyone knows who my father is so they don't care what I do. They assume I'm doing something important. Something my father instructed me to do." He shrugged as they walked, their steps steering them onto the snow covered pathway that would take them to the local village. "Anyways the Carrow's are too busy doing whatever it is they do to notice the students anyways. And Snape is still gone."

"Still?" She was surprised, this being the longest time Snape had ever been away from the castle. "Strange." She murmured, shaking her head, forcing away thoughts of the Headmaster. In all honesty, she wasn't looking forward to facing him for the first time since their last encounter. Nor the student body. Though her wounds were nearly healed, she still hung onto the red, angry slashes. Draco swore they would fade with time, but time wasn't really on her side. "He's never been gone this long before. Do you have any idea what he's doing?" Draco shook his head and Ginny sighed. "I guess he'll have to be back by the time the holiday ends."

"I suppose so." Draco conceded with another shrug. "He could be meeting with my father or with the Dark Lord, it's hard to say." They walked along the path in silence for a few minutes until finally the village of Hogsmeade came into sight. "I have a surprise," he told her, gesturing for her to follow after him as they went past the main gates of the village. The main street was decorated beautifully for the holidays- gold and tinsel covering everything. There was next to no one out, a few people perhaps finishing their holiday shopping, and a set of parents with their two young children, gazing at all of the decorations. Heading past them, Draco led her into the Hog's Head, and at first she opened her mouth to protest, that they could be seen inside there, but he didn't seemed worried so she kept it shut. The pub was empty aside for the bartender, an older man white a short white beard who hardly even looked up when they entered. "Close your eyes." He took her hand and led her towards a back room, which he opened the door to and pulled her inside, shutting it behind them, instructing her to keep her eyes closed. Giggling, she nodded, her hands over her face now that'd he'd let her hand go. "Okay, open them."

She opened her eyes and was shocked by the sight around her; everything was gold and silver and shining. A Christmas tree stood off to a corner, a fire raged in a fireplace against a wall. A single table was set up with drinks and food. "Draco, did you…" She trailed off, taking a step further into the room, her hand reaching out to gently tap one of the many ornaments on the tree. "Did you do this for me?" She whispered, her back to him, her eyes never once straying from the tree before her.

"Yes."

His answer, short and simple, was all she needed. She revolved on the spot, facing him, her eyes full of tears, a wobbling smile on her lips. Without warning, she flung herself into his arms, her own thrown around his neck; she felt his wind around her waist, pulling her closely; he smelled like cinnamon. Her hood had fallen down, revealing her hair to him once more. He breathed in her scent, floral and familiar, as if he'd known it all of his life. "You said you wished you had gone home for the holiday…" He said by way of explanation and she pulled back slightly, so she was able to look him in the face. "I wanted…" Draco felt his heart hammering hard inside his ribcage and he was well aware of the short space between them. His lips hovered over hers. "I wanted you to be happy."

Her lips found his the moment his voice died away; the kiss was long and breathtaking. When they pulled apart a few moments later, they held fast to one another, the world spinning around them. It was as if she'd been waiting all her life for a kiss like that. For a kiss from him. "I can't believe you did this- how?" She forced herself to pull away from him, shedding her cloak, letting it drape across the back of a chair. Her fingertips trailed along every surface, every detail within the room, her brown eyes wide as she took in all of the sights within.

"Another perk of being me, I guess," he said with a playful smile as he shrugged out of his own cloak, revealing to her for the first time his outfit. Black pants and a dark gray dress shirt, giving her some indication of how he probably dressed all the time. He tossed it over the back of the other chair and slid his thumbs into his front pockets, happy to watch her marvel at the decorations he'd painstakingly put up the day before while she'd slept. Luckily the old barkeep didn't mind them using the backroom and he was a quiet man who for whatever reason felt that he could trust. The clock behind them struck midnight and Draco could not help but to smile. "Happy Christmas, Ginny."

"Happy Christmas, Draco."

[ x x x ]

When they left the pub a few hours later, both were warm with drink and their own good spirits, and to their delight it had begun to snow. They walked along the path that would take them back to the castle, the falling snow a sight Ginny never tired of. She hugged her cloak tighter and felt Draco slip his arm around her waist, as if that was where it had always belonged. A smile twitched on her lips and she slipped her hood up as they approached the castle together. Late as it was, they could never be too careful. Opening the doors a crack, Draco peered inside, and deemed it safe; he pushed the doors open all the way and they dashed inside, the door falling closed behind them with a loud _bang._ A laugh tumbled from her lips and they both heard the footsteps coming in their direction. Clapping a hand over her mouth, Ginny shot Draco a quick glance. He took her by the hand and they took off at a run down the hall, Ginny's wand out and a quick spell muffled their steps as they ran. Up the stairs, one flight, two, three and then four before finally their steps slowed and they came to a stop on the landing. They collapsed against each other, panting and laughing, both excitedly talking about the narrow escape. Whoever it was must have decided they weren't worth chasing or had perhaps thought the door had been caught in the wind. Regardless of the reason, they were safe.

Breathing deep, catching her breath, Ginny looked up, her hood pushed back from her hair, her face cast into shadows by the dimly lit candles above them. He was staring at her and she smiled, opening her mouth to speak when his clamped down, sufficiently silencing her. His kiss was fiery and wild, his hands were moving, one buried deep into the soft, red locks, the other snaking around her waist. Their tongues met and it took only a moment more for them to find the perfect rhythm with one another. Ginny felt his teeth nip at her lower lip and she reached her hands up, both sliding into his platinum colored hair. Her knees went weak as he pulled her closer, his tongue slipping into her mouth as he gently pushed her back, forcing her back to the wall. His hands slid down the length of her body, both grasping at her buttocks, pulling her pelvis tight against his, where she could feel him beneath his pants. A shudder ran down her spine and she could not stop the soft moan that escaped her lips.

That sound, Merlin sakes that sound. Her moan was enough to send him over the edge and he fought to keep control over himself. He crushed her against him, his hands still on her buttocks, but he could feel her pushing against him, arching her back ever so slightly. "Should we…?" He pulled away long enough to speak those two words, knowing she would understand him. She nodded, a little pout papermaking as his hands released her. Draco took her by the hand and together they climbed three more flights of stairs and came to the door that appeared when they called out for it. Once inside, she was not surprised to see the room was exactly how they left it. Draco led her towards one of the beds, but did not force her onto it, instead he stopped beside it, and tugged the cloak from her body. He pulled his off too, before returning to the fierce kissing they'd been doing in the hall. His hands slid back to her waist, one gingerly slipping beneath the sweater, the pads of his fingers trailing along the small of her back. He felt her shudder with desire. He was rock hard instantly and he knew she could feel it as she was pressed tightly against him. "We don't have to…" He pulled away, his lips at her ear, whispering the words to her. She smiled and her hand was against him, the length of him pulsating into her palm through his jeans. Well, that was certainly a response Her lips were on his again and his hands were both wandering up the back of her blouse, to playfully snap at her bra, before they slid back out and grasped the hem of her sweater. They met each other's eyes and she smiled, giving him a small nod, indicating her consent to whatever was going to come next.

He was sliding the sweater over her head, throwing it off to the side, leaving her in her jeans and bra. She was unbuttoning the buttons on his shirt, peeling it away from his shoulders, letting it drop down around his feet. His thumbs went through her belt loops and he gave her a little tug, closing the gap between them just long enough to kiss her. But then his hands were working again, unbuttoning the button on her jeans, then helping her shimmy them down her legs. She was left standing before him in her bra and underwear and he came to realize that she had the lightest dusting of freckles over her shoulders. He drew her towards him and his lips trailed from her shoulder, over her neck and onto the corner of her mouth. Draco could feel her hands at his waistband, unbuckling his belt, letting that drop to the floor once she'd pulled it free from the loops. She was working on his pants as his hands found their way back to her buttocks, the skin beneath his palm soft and warm. His pants were gone then and he was dressed only in his boxers; no longer could he wait and he guided her towards the bed, gently pushing her onto her back. He climbed overtop her, his hands trailing all along her skin, the tips of his fingers tracing every scar from her Sectumsempra wounds.

His hands were everywhere, but his lips hardly strayed from hers. She felt them on her hips, her sides, her cheeks, every single inch of her. He carefully grazed every scar as if he wanted to memorize their placement against her skin. "Draco," she murmured his name and he lifted his face to look down at him, poised to move away from her, as if he thought she meant for him to stop. "Don't stop," she went on, a mischievous smile curving her cheeks upward. He returned her smile with a kiss and she felt his hands slide beneath her, to unhook her bra, and then he pulled the garment away completely. His hands were on her breasts then, his thumb rubbing circles over her nipple. His reward was her soft moan. With one hand still on her breast, the other moved to her hips, and it slowly began to inch her underwear down. She lifted her pelvis up a bit, giving him the space he needed to pull them off completely. Her hands were at his hips then, pulling down his boxers, revealing him to her. "Come here," she whispered, her voice a wisp of smoke. He did as she said and it was his turn to moan as she took him into her mouth. His hands tangled themselves in her hair and he arched his back against her, the feeling shooting through him intense.

No more, he could take no more! He thrust her back down and she gave a laugh, her brown eyes flashing as he climbed over her, positioning himself between her legs. One last glance to her and she nodded. He pushed himself into her and he heard her give a little squeak but soon she was moaning as he pumped away, her cries mounting as he went faster and faster. He was reaching climax and he slowed, his own moans loud and mingling with hers. He felt himself burst and one last thrust and he felt her release as well. Slumping over, he rolled off of her, one arm still slung over her slim body, their breathing in time with one another's. after a few minutes, he propped himself up, so he could gaze down at her; she blushed beneath his scrutiny, her smile however was unwavering. "You're beautiful," he murmured, his free hand coming up to cup her cheek, his own lips curving with a smile.

"Even if my scars don't go away?"

"Even if they do."

A smile brightened her features and she rolled over on top of him, feeling him harden beneath her. She lifted herself up just a little and a hand reached out, sliding him into herself. He let out a breath and tipped his head back as she began to rock back and forth, awkwardly at first until she'd found her perfect rhythm. He was moaning her name as she pushed him deeper into her, her own head thrown back, long hair falling down her back in soft waves. She was grinding against him, loving the control, loving the feel of him and the sound of his moaning as he rocked against her. Her name was on his lips as he came once more and it was her turn to roll off, to lay beside him in the crook of his arm. They stay that way for hours, until they'd both drifted off into a deep, deep sleep.

And that was the start of something wonderful.


	5. Chapter 5

When the holidays had come to a close and it was time for the other student's to return, Ginny's scars had faded to thin white marks. It would be only days before they had vanished completely- but unless one really was looking, it was almost impossible to tell she'd been so badly injured only two weeks before. But the days quickly passed and soon the first signs of spring were beginning to emerge. It was March and though the days were chilly and wet, the snow was gone and the sun was bright. Though they could not steal away too often, when they did, she and Draco certainly made it count. The Room of Requirement really helped them out.

Ginny had kept to herself when it came to Snape and the Carrow's. Though the siblings certainly tried to provoke her, she kept her comments to herself (for the most part, that was) and had only earned a few minor detentions here and there. There was never another one like the one Snape inflicted upon her that day. There were only a few months left of school, she supposed she would have to try hard to stay out of trouble until then. And she and Draco had the Easter holiday to look forward to, as it was coming up in less than a week. Then, like at Christmas, they would mostly have the castle to themselves as most students returned home for the week long vacation.

It was stressful, she had to admit, hiding their relationship as they had to do. They had to be extremely careful, as getting caught together could cause a lot of trouble for the both of them. More so for Draco, she suspected though, as she could only imagine what his father would say or do should he find out they were together. Her family was not a threat of course, they would understand, they would trust her decisions (though she supposed Ron and her brothers would be a little less trusting of him at first) and of course there was Harry. He would… Understand, or so she hoped he would at least. She had liked Harry, no she had loved him, but that was then. This was now. What she felt and had with Draco was so much different, it was as if they had been meant to be all their lives.

And in truth, it seemed like they _might_ be together their whole lives.

Something was eating away at her, something besides the stress of hiding their relationship from the world. Something so much bigger than that. She knew that she had to tell Draco and it had to be soon. No, it had to be that night. It simply couldn't wait.

[ x x x ]

Draco did not like this.

It had been a while since he'd last been summoned like this before Snape. He was worried, as he always was, but especially so because of Ginny. They had been careful as could be, avoiding any suspicion and keeping a low profile. They'd almost been caught once but that had been weeks ago. Surely that wasn't what this was about. He climbed the winding staircase up to the Headmaster's office and uttered the password, entering and heading into the office. Snape sat behind the Headmaster's desk, all the portraits behind him conveniently snoozing or gone from their frames. Dumbledore's was snoozing, his tall hat falling down over his face as he snored. Draco shifted from foot to foot before the desk. "You wanted to see me, sir?'

"Yes, come, sit Draco," Snape gestured at one of the empty chairs, which the boy took, looking back to him expectantly. "I just came from a meeting with the Dark Lord." Draco kept his face passive, nodding to show that he was listening to the older man's words. "He has grown tired waiting for Harry Potter to make a move or give up his location. He has decided to force Potter out of hiding himself." Another nod. "That Weasley girl, he's decided to use her as bait, to lure Potter out from hiding." Draco was careful to keep his face void of any emotion, but he felt the chill race down his spine. A malicious smile spread over Snape's face. "I will need your help, of course."

"What do you want me to do?" He asked, feigning interest, his eyes on the Headmaster, not once wavering, not once giving any indication that he was anything but interested.

"Bring her to me."

[ x x x ]

He sped to her side, his heart beating fast, his stomach in knots. Snape had told him to bring her to him by that evening at midnight- that gave him a measly six hours to get her out of there and some place safe. He walked back and forth in front of the tapestry and the door appeared and he threw open the door, glancing over his shoulder before he entered, letting it close behind him. She was seated at the table across the room, a book open before her, but she looked pale and distracted. As he came into the room she looked up and she tried to smile and at once he knew something was wrong. For a moment he forgot why he'd come and he crossed the room to stand at her side. She adverted her eyes and he could see the book's pages were splotched with teardrops. "Gin, what's wrong?"

She jumped to her feet, pulling away when he tried to reach for her. Her back was to him then and she was wrapping her arms around herself. Fear prickled at his heart and he reached for her once more, a hand on her arm, forcing her to turn back around. To face him. "Tell me what's wrong." His voice was strong but full of concern, as were his eyes, which were searching hers, searching for any sign of what was wrong with her. His other hand reached up, cupping her cheek into his palm, and he could feel the remnants of her tears against her skin.

A deep breath and she opened her mouth, fighting for the words to say. To tell him what she knew. "Draco, I…" She paused and she could tell he was growing more and more anxious. She had to just come right out with it. "I'm pregnant." The words exploded between them like a bomb and for one dizzying moment Draco actually thought he would pass out.

"Pregnant?" He parroted back seconds later, his eyes widening, his heart skipping what felt like several beats inside his chest. "Pregnant!" For one, single moment, he felt a rush of joy, and then it was replaced by a cloud of darkness as he remembered why he'd so badly needed to find her. Of all the times for her to tell him something like that. "Are you sure?" She nodded slowly, her face drawn and pale. Well, that certainly explained her weird moods as of late. He wanted to express to her how happy he was, but how could he be happy when her life was in danger? And now it just wasn't hers. It was their child's. Bloody hell. "You have to go home, you have to leave here, tonight!"

Hearing his sudden outburst, Ginny's mouth fell open. "What? Why? Draco, what's going on?" She could see the fear in his eyes, could hear it in his voice. A moment later he began to rush through what Snape had told him and he felt her hand find his, her brown eyes not showing even a drop of fear. She nodded and took his other hand in hers. "You'll come with me."

"What, no… Ginny I can't. I'll put you in more danger, if they find out we're together. If they find out that you're…" He trailed off, his hand reaching down to lay across the flat plane of her stomach. Suddenly, life had a different meaning. He looked up from her abdomen to her smiling face and he knew he could not ever be apart from her. They would have to figure something out. And fast. "we have to figure a way out of here." He said then, looking around the room, as if something would magically appear before his eyes. To his surprise, Ginny let out a little giggle as she tossed her magnificent head.

"I have an idea."

[ x x x ]

An hour later, she met back up with Draco, someone else following after her. It was Neville Longbottom. "There's a floo network still set up in Umbridge's old office," Ginny said under her breath as they walked quickly along the corridor, down a flight of stairs and towards an east wing of the castle. It was dinner time, so all of the castle's occupants were downstairs in the Great Hall, giving them the space of an hour or so before students would begin to trickle out of the hall. "Neville is going to cause a distraction." Ginny explained as they turned a corner and Draco knew where they were. Umbridge's old office had been taken over by Alecto Carrow and the woman was prone to eating alone inside. As they paused just around the corner, Ginny thrust a small bag of what looked like fireworks at Neville, who took them with a grin. "Thank you, Neville," she said softly, reaching out to hug him tightly, knowing what he risked for doing this for them. She had already dispatched an owl with a coded message to the twins, who would be able to alert their parents of her imminent arrival. She could only hope that the message was received and her mother opened their floo network.

Neville then turned to Draco, meeting his gaze but not speaking. Draco couldn't be certain what the male knew, but he supposed Ginny wouldn't have told him anything that would incriminate him. He would certainly be punished for this, tortured even, and if he was willing to do that for her, then Draco knew he was a good man. Reaching a hand out for Draco to take, they shook and Neville offered him a grim smile. "Take care of her," was all he said, before instructing them to hide around the corner. Draco put his arm around her and tugged her back around the corner, keeping her face pressed to his chest to shield her from any bouncing fireworks. Neville lightly tapped his wand to the bag and dropped it as it exploded in an array of sound and colors. The fireworks, provided by Ginny's brothers, were resistant to magic and would be a nightmare to put out, especially in such a small space and high quantity. At once Alecto Carrow's door swung open and she came out, crying out in surprise as a firework whizzed past her face. The woman locked eyes with Neville who took off in the opposite direction, leading her towards the stairs, away from Ginny and Draco.

The moment that they'd gone, she and Draco set off at a run, dashing into the office and slamming the door closed behind them. They could still hear the fireworks going off as they rushed to the fireplace and Ginny pulled a container of silvery powder from a bag he had only just noticed around her wrist. "Hermione trick," she explained when she caught sight of her pulling the container out. Untwisting the lid, she turned to the fireplace and Draco lit the fire with his wand. "We'll go together." She took out a handful of the powder and screwed the lid back onto the container before she stowed it back inside the seemingly bottomless bag. They both turned to the fire and she tossed the powder onto the flames; they turned emerald and they stepped into them together, Ginny's clear voice ringing out: "The Burrow."

And then they were gone.

The fire place spit them out onto the kitchen floor and Ginny could hear her mother a moment before she had her arms around her, yanking her to her feet. "Oh, Ginny! What's going on? Why have you come so suddenly?" Her mother held her daughter at arm's length, noting her pallor and the bags beneath her eyes immediately. Something crossed her features but she pushed aside the thoughts as she pulled her daughter into an embrace. "I've worried about you, you've not been writing." She held Ginny at arm's length then, smiling at her, watching as she blossomed with a smile of her own. Molly relinquished her to her father then and turned to the boy who was rising off the floor, brushing soot from his uniform pants, his tie loose and colored silver and green. Her eyes traveled over his appearance- eyes the color of slate and blonde hair that she knew at once to be the Malfoy shade. Much like her family's red hair, the Malfoy men were notorious for that shocking blonde hair. To say she was surprised by his arrival was an understatement. "You're Lucius Malfoy's son, aren't you?" She asked and she could see the fear that crossed his features. Apparently, there was something going on that none of them were privy to. But then he nodded and she softened, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "Well, come on, let's get you two something to eat."

[ x x x ]

They were safe, at least for now.

For a week now they'd remained at the Burrow, safe behind the Order's protective spells and charms. Draco was surprised by how easily they had accepted him into the midst, for after only a day or two, her parents treated him as if he had always been a part of the family. While Ginny spent time resting and catching up with her mother, Draco had explored the home and gotten to know her father. Their home was full of trinkets and while it was not messy, it was also unlike his home that was always in pristine condition. The clock on the wall intrigued him, with nine hands that had the family's photo's attached to each, and every single one of them were pointed at _mortal peril._ Death and war lurked around all of them, especially out there, where at any moment Voldemort or his minions could descend upon the home. But, it did seem relatively safe, despite the clock's warning. Draco soon learned more about Arthur Weasley's passion for the Muggle world and their things, as the man had probably shown him every Muggle item he had within the first two days of their arrival. He was a strange man, but now he could understand where Ginny got her curiosity from.

Upstairs in her room, Ginny could not bring herself to leave her bed. Her stomach was a sea of nausea and at any moment she knew she'd be throwing up. A knock on the door. "Come in," she called, forcing herself to sit up and swing her legs over the edge of the bed before the door opened. It was her mother, as she knew it would be, and she came in barring a tray of crackers and a mug of steaming tea. Her mother said nothing as she took a seat beside her on the edge of the bed, she merely handed the tray off to her, which Ginny gratefully accepted. She popped a cracker into her mouth and willed her stomach to calm itself.

"So, when were you going to tell me?" Molly asked after a few minutes of silence and she watched as her daughter's cheeks flooded with color. The girl opened her mouth to reply and Molly shook her head, a small smile appearing. "Ginny, dear I had seven children. Did you really think you'd ever be able to hide it from me?" A moment passed and Ginny's shoulders sagged; she set aside the tray but picked up the mug and inched closed to her mother, putting her head against her shoulder. "It's his, isn't it?" She felt Ginny nod and she breathed a small sigh. "Well, I guess we need to tell your father. And your brother's." Ginny winced but nodded, knowing her mother was right, as mother's almost always were.

[ x x x ]

That evening, she and Draco slid into bed next to one another after her mother had decided they couldn't get into anymore trouble than they already were in. For the first time since they'd fled the castle, she and Draco came together, snuggled close together beneath the blankets. They were silent for a while and Draco thought that perhaps she'd fallen asleep, but then he felt her hand resting on his abdomen. Her fingers were slipping in and out of the waistband on his boxers, her head against his shoulder, one leg hooked over his. He felt himself stirring and she noticed it at once, her hand sliding beneath his boxers to take hold of him. She was running her hand up and down and he groaned softly, feeling the chill of the air as she sat up, her body no longer pressed against his. Instead she had released him with her hand and instead leaned over, taking the length of him into her mouth. He reached a hand out, pressing it lightly against the back of her head, and he could feel the tip at the back of her throat. She was moaning against him, her buttocks arched into the air as she continued to pleasure him.

Pulling up, she shot him a smirk as she climbed on top of him; a rush of ignorant fears passed through him and he put a hand to her face, forcing her to pause. "But the baby…?" He watched as her face broke out into a smile and she leaned down to kiss him.

"Will be just fine," she breathed as she came down on him, forcing him to moan, his head tilted back, exposing his neck to her. She was nipping at his flesh as she rode him, keeping her own voice down low as she felt herself coming closer and closer to climax. They finished seconds apart and Ginny rolled over to nestle up in the crook of his arm, her head against his shoulder. His hand was stroking the soft skin on her hip that was exposed to him and he felt her shifting so she lay a little more comfortably. "Do you think they're looking for us?" Her question came suddenly and he turned his head to glance down at her, to catch the flicker of fear that cross over her features. He pressed his lips to the top of her head, allowing her to pull away a moment as she sat up, running a hand absently over her stomach. "My family…" Her shoulders curved inwards and he sat up too, reaching out to place a hand over her shoulder, forcing her to turn around to look at him.

"I will protect you." He said simply, as if that was all she needed to hear. "I will protect _both_ of you." Draco leaned down, pressing his lips against her stomach, where their child resided. He felt her hands in his hair, rising him up and she was smiling in spite of herself, though he could still see the fears hiding in her eyes. "We're safe here." He went on, realizing a moment later that he was trying to reassure himself as well. But she was smiling again and nodding, believing what he said to be true. She lay back down and he followed after, but he lay awake for a long while after her, wondering just what the safest course would be.

[ x x x ]

It was April when they were finally discovered.

They came late into the night, when all of the house was sleeping. She and Draco were tucked into bed together when the crash sounded, waking Draco first. He snapped awake, the crashing sound coming from outside. He lay frozen in bed beside her, unable to move until the second crash, this one in the kitchen, which also woke Ginny. She was out of the bed in an instant, her hair falling free from the braid in which she'd plaited it in the night before; her eyes were wide and frenzied, her mouth moving with silent words. "Shh," he put a finger to his lips and snatched his wand off the bedside table. He could hear the voices, still familiar voices, though it'd been weeks since he'd last heard them. And then he'd heard her parent's voices and then the twins, who lucky for them had chosen that night of all nights to stay over.

Draco crept to the bedroom door, only after instructing her to stay where she was, backed into a corner, her wand gripped tightly in her hand. She opened her mouth to protest and he suddenly realized it was not fear that crept into her eyes now, but determination. Gone was her fear and it was replaced by her resolve to protect the child within her. He turned back to the door and opened it, listening closely to the mixture of voices coming up from the bottom floor. "Greyback. Dolohov." Draco murmured, ticking off the voices he recognized. "Maybe Saunders," he beckoned for her to follow him, keeping his body protectively in front of hers, his eyes darting this way and that. Every shadow seemed to leap off the walls, every sound forcing him to stop and ensure they were not surrounded. As they approached the first landing, she was hovering behind him, peering down the steps to her family's kitchen.

By then, the battle had spilled out onto the yard; Ginny's father and the twins were locked in fierce battle with the attacking death eaters, their curses and spells lighting up the night like fireworks. "Ginny! Draco!" Molly's voice was surprised as she turned at the sound of their footsteps. "You should stay upstairs- especially you, Ginny, go on. Your father and brothers will take care of this." But the two instead crept to the windows, peeking out, watching as the battle unfolded.

"Where is she?" Greyback was shouting, his wand arm raised high into the air, his snarling face illuminated by the blue curse that shot past him. "We know she's here!" Ginny felt her stomach twist up into knots, her heart skipping a beat; Draco took her hand, feeling the shudder that raced through her body. They were looking for her. They were doing this because of her. Draco had never fully explained to her why Snape had wanted him to bring her to him, he'd said it didn't matter because they were safe. But now they weren't safe and neither was her family. The crazy part of her longed to run out into the yard, to throw herself between the fighting wizards and let them have her. However… Her hand crept over her still yet flat abdomen and she knew it was no longer about her.

"I'm going," Draco hissed when Arthur was disarmed, his wand landing several feet from where he stood. Before Ginny or Molly could protest, he raced out of the house and into the yard, revealing himself to the three Death Eaters that had come searching for Ginny and him. All three pairs of eyes swiveled to him and Greyback's face broke into an eerie smile, his wand pointing directly at him. "Leave this family alone." He ordered, his own wand out, aiming right at Greyback, who still yet was smirking, his head tilting as he looked upon him. "They aren't part of this."

"Oh no?" Greyback took a step closer, his smile replaced by an angry snarl. "They are now." The battle commenced and Draco shot a stunning spell at the third Death Eater, managing to knock the male's wand from his hand. Dolohov was locked into battle with the twins, both of whom were sweating but seemed quite capable of handling the talented Death Eater. "She must be here," Greyback said over his shoulder to Dolohov, who nodded, a quick glance was thrown in the general direction of the home. "If he's here, she's here too." Greyback focused his eyes on the traitorous boy before him. Their orders were to bring both back to the Dark Lord- the girl alive, the boy he didn't care. Fenrir smirked, wondering about the look that Lucius would wear if he delivered his boy's head to him.

Standing his ground, Draco let fly another spell, which hit its mark- Greyback, distracted by whatever he was thinking of, was knocked back a few feet, nearly right off his feet. Anger flared into his face and he staggered, his feet squared into the dirt. They went back and forth, spells and curses whirling, lighting up the darkness around them. The twins were triumphantly yelling then as Dolohov was disarmed and his wand thrown away; Greyback stepped back to stand beside him, looking on as the three young men encircled them. He grunted in frustration, his anger evident. But, with three against him, he knew even he wouldn't stand much of a chance. "This isn't over. Tell the girl we won't fail the Dark Lord." He said and the three of them latched hands and with a _pop,_ they had gone.

Moments later, Ginny and Molly raced from the home, Ginny throwing her arms around Draco, thankful he was mostly unharmed. Her hand reached up, her fingers tracing the cut across his cheek he'd received from a stray curse. "Are you okay?" She asked softly and he turned to look down at her, a smile spreading across his lips. He was fine, especially knowing that the three of them were safe. But only for a moment.

"We can't stay," he said softly and she nodded, a sad look finding its way into her eyes. She turned to look behind her, at her childhood home, at her parents who stood looking back at her. Her mother, teary-eyed as she was, gave a knowing nod. "But where can we go?" He mused aloud, his thoughts turning wildly within his head. Nowhere would be safe, at least not for very long. If he knew one thing, it would be that Greyback wasn't lying when he said Voldemort wouldn't give up searching. He would keep sending his minions out; he would torture her family and her friends if that was what it took. "You aren't safe either. None of you are." Draco turned to her family, the kind people that had taken him in without a second thought. "Do you have some place you can go?"

"We'll go to Romania," Arthur said without a second thought, turning to give his wife an encouraging smile. "We will see our second oldest son and we will be safe there. You should come with us there." At once, Draco was shaking his head.

"We can't risk it." Draco said simply, looking from face to face, his arm slung around Ginny's waist. "We'll put you into more danger." Arthur opened his mouth to speak but Ginny was moving forwards, putting her arms around her father, and at once he was silenced. Draco watched father and daughter share a tender moment, Arthur leaning down to whisper something into her ear. Ginny was smiling then, her eyes bright in the moonlight; she was hugging her mother then, who was crying quietly. She said something to her and Molly choked on something that came out between a sob and a laugh. Molly's hand was on her daughter's stomach then, and she was whispering to her, and whispering to the child that was still yet safe within her. Ginny's two brother's came next, each one hugging their baby sister carefully, their words for her and only her. She pulled back and Draco stepped up, shaking hands with every male there, and greatly surprised when Molly enfolded him in her arms.

"Where will you go?" Fred asked, his arm still around his sister, as if he were reluctant to let her go. Draco could not blame him.

"I'm not sure," he answered honestly, looking to Ginny, who looked as helpless as he felt. "Somewhere that can't be traced to any one of our families, to any of our friends." As he met eyes with Arthur, an idea was dawning on him, an idea that might actually work. "Maybe…" He trailed off and then quickly relayed his thoughts aloud. "It's our only chance," he finished, looking to Ginny then, who had come to stand beside him, and she nodded.

"Take care of her," Arthur said, clasping hands with Draco for one last time. "Please."

"I will, I promise." Draco replied and then he took Ginny by the hand, knowing full well that this might be the last time she see them for a long time. Her lower lip trembled but she remained strong, keeping her eyes ahead as they slipped out the gate and down the rocky road that would lead towards the local Muggle village. When she finally looked back over her shoulder, her home was out of sight, as were her parents. She felt something in her heart break but then Draco squeezed her hand and she knew, deep down, that everything would turn out alright.


	6. Chapter 6

They had settled in rather easily. Or as easily as two people on the run could settle into a place they'd never been to. The Muggle town was small and secluded, it's distance from Diagon Alley well over an hour by Muggle transportation. Draco had heard of this town through his father the year before, when Greyback had attacked and killed a kid there the night of a full moon. How it had been the first place to come to mind, he wasn't sure, but he was glad it had.

It seemed like they could be safe there- the street was small and the next door neighbors were an elderly couple who had already waved at him twice. He tried to settle in without looking like an obvious fish out of water, but felt paranoid that everyone could see right through him. Ginny on the other hand seemed to settle right in, having already visited the local market early their second day in the town. Having grown up with a Muggle obsessed father seemed to have benefited her greatly for she could use all the household appliances with ease, while Draco still struggled to turn the stove on a week into their stay. Living like a Muggle would prove to be a challenge, but Draco knew that he would do anything it took to protect Ginny and their unborn child.

Speaking of... He glanced down in the bed, to where Ginny last fast asleep, the morning sunlight spilling through the curtains above their bed. He was still adjusting to her new look, as well as his own, and he found he missed her vivid hair more than anything else. Instead, her hair was the darkest shade of brown possible, nearly black, and gone were her trademark Weasley freckles. Even the eyes behind the closed lids had changed from brown to the deepest blue. Draco reached up to touch his own hair, a mousey brown color now, and knew his own eyes to have become brown rather than their usual gray. Even in a Muggle town, they could never be too careful. And besides, their appearances were far too well known to risk sporting right then.

Deciding he could sleep no longer, Draco slid out from under the covers, careful not to disturb Ginny, and left the bedroom. The clock in the kitchen told him it was just after ten, a little late to their usual wake up time. But, he decided he'd let Ginny sleep on until she woke- she needed her rest, after all. Turning to the counter, he wondered if he might tackle the coffee maker as Ginny had shown him how to use it the morning before. Grabbing the pot, he filled it as she had instructed him and dumped it into the back. Just as he pressed the button that started the brew, he heard the soft footsteps overhead, telling him Ginny was awake. So much for her sleeping in. He grabbed down two mugs, fully prepared to make her a cup of tea, when he heard it...

Knock, knock

Nearly leaping from his skin, Draco turned on the spot to stare out from the kitchen to the front door. Had he... Had he only imagined it? No... Knock, knock. There it was again! He crept towards the door and saw Ginny standing on the bottom stair, her unfamiliar blue eyes staring back at him. "Stay there," he instructed her softly, hand moving to his pocket where he stil yet kept his wand. Though it didn't strike him that Voldemort or his Death Eaters would bother knocking on their front door, he knew he couldn't take any chances.

Approaching the door, he heard the muffled sounds of voices- voices that sounded as if they were arguing. I told you it was too early, he heard a male voice say as he hesitantly grasped the doorknob. His other hand still stuffed into his pocket, Draco opened the door, revealing to his surprise not Death Eaters, but the old couple from next door. "Oh! Good morning!" The old woman said with a beaming smile, a twinkle in her light blue eyes. "I hope we didn't wake you!" She held out her hands, in which she held a covered pan. "We brought you a cake." Draco remained still and silent, staring at the couple with what he knew was a shocked face, knowing he was rude for not even yet speaking to them. He heard footsteps behind him and then there was Ginny, her smile radiant as she greeted the two stranger's on their door step. "I'm Violet and this is my husband David." The old woman grinned at them as Ginny tugged Draco in, allowing them entry to the home.

"I'm Molly, this is my husband John," Ginny said as she closed the door behind them, finding amusement in the old couple that had descended upon them. Draco was looking distrustful and so she shot him a warning glance and at once he put on a grin, as if he was not paranoid over who these people were. They had agreed on their fake names only the day before, she using her middle name and Draco using "the most ordinary name he could think of," their backstory painting them as young newlyweds with a whole future ahead of them.

"You just moved in, didn't you?" The old man, David, asked as Ginny gestured for them to sit, saying she would grab the coffee Draco had so freshly brewed. Violet followed her into the kitchen, saying she would gladly help her out. "I was surprised it went so fast, old man Nicholson only just put it up the day before you moved in." Draco ran a hand through his hair, coughing slightly as he said they had merely been in the right place at the right time. Meanwhile, they had Confunded the seller of the home, giving them the opportunity to get into the house with no trouble at all. Ginny had felt bad about doing it, but Draco promised her they'd make it right with him when all was said and done. "You two newlyweds, then?"

Draco smiled and nodded, the story an easy one to stick with. "Yeah, a few months ago," he replied, to which the old man grinned right back at him. "It seems like a quiet neighborhood," he went on as he sat down in the armchair while David took to the couch. "Have you two lived here long?" He could hear Ginny and Violet's soft undertones from the kitchen, could hear the clang of china against the counter, and could smell the brewing coffee. He heard the microwave beep then, telling him Ginny had finished making the mug of tea he'd began for her only minutes before.

"It's quiet enough- perfect for a family," David winked at him and Draco arched a brow in surprise, following his line of sight into the kitchen. Sure enough, Ginny was turned to the side and for the first time he noticed the slight swell of her stomach, noticed the way she kept a hand protectively against it. When had that happened? "You two will love it here. You guys can use our pool, by the way. The kid will love it." David grinned as the two women came back to the living room, passing out the mugs to the men before taking their own respective seats- Violet beside David, Ginny on the arm rest of the chair Draco sat in.

"I was just telling Molly that you two should join us for dinner one of these nights." Violet smiled as she sipped her coffee. "We remember being the newlyweds on the block- Mr. Nicholson and his wife made us feel welcomed from our very first day here, didn't they David?" Her husband nodded and Violet turned back to the two of them sitting across from her. "When is your little one due, anyways?" The first thing Violet had noticed about the two of them was just how young they seemed- much too young for marriage and babies. The girl looked tired, beyond first pregnancy tired, and the boy's eyes were full of suspicion, as if he didn't trust anything around him. She wondered just what their story really was.

This was something Ginny did have a real answer to. Her mother had managed to, somehow, find someone from St. Mungo's who wasn't with Voldemort, and they'd gone to see her, to ensure everything was going as planned with her pregnancy. "Oh, in October." She replied with a smile, tenderly touching the small swell that was her abdomen. Overnight it seemed she had grown a bump, small as it was. "Do you have children?"

Such a question opened up the conversation and before they knew it, she and Draco knew everything about the old couple from next door; they had three children, several grandchildren, and had been married for fifty years now. They recommended restaurants, doctors, and everything in-between for them. When the clock struck noon, they finally rose up from the couch, promising to be over soon and with another meal or two. Seeing them off, Draco closed the door when they had crossed back over to their own yard, and Ginny could not help but to laugh at his expense. "They're harmless," she grinned as he turned to her, his dark eyes something she was still yet unused to.

"You can't blame me for worrying," Draco replied, taking her into his arms for a long moment, before he dropped down, his palm following the curve of her belly. "I can't help it," he said softly and Ginny slipped her hands into his hair, the color different, but the feel of it all the same. He tilted his head back to look up into her face and she smiled down at him, knowing just how incredibly lucky she was to have him at her side.

Both of them were lucky, she reminded herself, both she and their unborn child, who was lucky enough to have Draco for a father. They were young and they didn't know what they were doing... But they would always love and care for their child, no matter what happened. And that was what mattered.

[ x x x ]

True to their word, Violet and David Jones made numerous appearances at their home in the following weeks. And even they went next door, joining the old couple for various lunches and dinners. Violet dropped off baby clothes and other various things necessary for raising a child while Draco helped David with their yard work. Violet and Ginny spent countless hours out on a porch, in a living room, anywhere, with mugs of tea or cups of lemonade cradled in their hands. After nearly two months of living there on that Muggle street, they had developed a strong bond with their elderly next door neighbors.

May went and passed and then so did June, the weeks passing them by without any worries whatsoever. It felt odd to slip into a state of normalcy- or as normal as their life could be, Ginny supposed. She received fairly regular updates from her mother as well as Remus, and of course they kept tabs on what was happening in the wizarding world as best they could. But, above all else they strived to fit in and go unnoticed by all. It seemed as if they had achieved such a thing, for aside from the Jones', no one else seemed to pay them any attention at all. They made frequent trips into town- the market, mostly, but sometimes the local library or various restaurants.

Draco's eighteenth birthday had passed them by, a day which they celebrated with Violet and David, though they had thought him to be turning twenty-one rather than eighteen. if the two suspected them of lying about their ages, they certainly didn't say anything about it. But, Ginny had a hunch Violet knew they weren't always being one hundred percent honest with them. However the old woman had yet to speak on it, and for that Ginny was thankful. The days continued to pass them by, including the rest of summer, meaning they celebrated her own seventeenth birthday in August. Had they been in their own world, she'd have been considered an adult in her own right. It would have been her final year at Hogwarts and she would have been able to join the Order of her own accord. But, she wasn't, and her life had an entirely new meaning these days.

As September began, Ginny began to realize just how quickly time was going by. Two months from that very day she would more than likely be holding her own child. Draco's child. She looked across the room at where he sat, reading a recent letter from Remus, his mouth a frown as he concentrated on Remus' words. They had been extremely lucky these last few months, having lived in continued safety, with not even one run-in with Death Eaters. That didn't mean they still didn't worry- Draco lived in a constant state of paranoia, though it certainly had lessened in the last few months. "Your mum and dad came back," Draco spoke up suddenly, bringing her back from her own thoughts. Surprise filled her and she sat up a little straighter on the couch, a hand pressed lightly to her bulging stomach. He had stood up, coming over to hand her the letter, which sure enough told her that her parents had returned from Romania, but did not state where they were. A moment of longing filled her and Ginny wished she could see her mother, especially at a time like now, she needed her mother's guidance in these final months of pregnancy.

But, she'd manage on her own. Besides, she wasn't really alone she reminded herself as she looked up at Draco, who grinned down at her. "I wonder why," she said, handing him back the letter as she struggled up onto her feet for her third bathroom trip that morning. "It's not like the danger has passed." Her worry was evident and Draco took her by the wrist, drawing her as close to him as he could. "Do you think..." She pulled back, tilting her head as he put a hand against her stomach where within they could both feel the strong movements of their child. "The final battle...?"

Draco shrugged, as if he didn't already know the truth. The last thing he wanted to do was worry her and so that was why he didn't tell her the details of every letter Remus sent. He didn't want her to know that at one point, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been captured by Voldemort's snatchers. He didn't want her to know that her parents had been discovered in Romania and had barely been able to escape with their lives. He didn't want her to know that Voldemort had yet to give up his quest to find her and use her as bait or whatever other evil things he had planned. And he especially didn't want her to know that Voldemort knew about the two of them, as well as their child. He wouldn't allow such dark thoughts to penetrate their little world, not yet, not when they had come so far and now were so close to the end. The final battle would happen, Remus had told him, and it would happen before Christmas. "Don't worry about it," Draco said softly, brushing a kiss to her mouth before releasing her, watching her as she headed off towards the bathroom. He had made a vow to always protect her and he would do just that. Both her and their child, who's imminent arrival was beginning to cause him some anxiety.

Not that he was going to admit that of course.

There came a knock to the door and just as Draco had suspected, it was Violet, bringing over a casserole pan covered in foil. "I thought you two might enjoy some lasagna," she smiled as he opened the door, offering it out for Draco to take. "Especially since Molly was having those contractions yesterday..."

The casserole pan almost fell from his hands and Draco quickly righted the pan before it could hit the ground. "Wh-what did you say?" His mind was spinning as he swiveled to face Ginny, who had returned from the bathroom, a smile appearing as she saw Violet in their doorway. "You never told me you were having..."

"Because I knew you'd react like this. They were nothing." Ginny rolled her eyes as she took the casserole pan from his trembling hands. "And I haven't had any others, anyway." She went on, gesturing for Violet to follow her into the kitchen when she would put the pan away until it was time for dinner. "Thanks for this," she said as she turned to face the older woman with a smile, a hand resting on her stomach as she leaned back on the counter. "I swear if I could go the rest of my time without getting up, I would."

"I know the feeling dear, just you rest when you can, you need it." Violet ushered her into a chair and moved about the kitchen as if it were her own. "Are you sure you're well? You are a little pale today." Ginny felt a surge of affection for this woman but also felt a twinge of sorrow at the thought of her mother. Tears filled her eyes and she turned away, brushing them away in hopes Violet would not have even noticed. In truth, Ginny had felt the sharp pain of a contraction that morning in the bathroom, but it had been one and done, something she supposed had to be normal. "Did you guys finish the nursery?" Violet asked then, turning the conversation into another direction entirely. She and David had always wondered about these two, so young and with no one there to help them. David had asked John about their families, but he'd said his were dead and they didn't speak to hers. Violet had cried when she'd heard that, knowing the two kids next door had no one but each other. And maybe that was why she wanted to help them so much. And so when the young woman's face broke out into a grin at the mention of the nursery, she felt her own heart flutter.

In truth, they had finished it, but only with the use of magic. "Yeah, you want to see?" Ginny asked, thankful for a distraction from her own emotions. Violet nodded and they set off up the stairs, coming to a stop before the third door down the hall, just next to the master bedroom. Pushing open the door, Ginny led the woman into the small room and turned to face her. "What do you think?" The room had been painted a soft blue-gray and the crib was against the eastern wall, its bedding the same shade of gray but with white stripes. A rocking chair was in the corner- one she recognized as the one David had made for them the month before. A dresser was against the other wall, one she knew was full of clothes for the baby that would be there probably sooner than either Molly or John realized.

"It's wonderful," Violet said with a smile, reaching out to touch Ginny's hand. "So, have you two decided on any names?" Now that was the difficult part. Everything else had been easy so far, but choosing a name? Ginny wasn't certain the kid would ever have one. Seeing her face, Violet laughed and patted her hand. "We didn't name our oldest until he was three days old. They don't mind much that young, anyways." Ginny laughed as well, knowing that was true after all. Anyways, she reminded herself they still had two months to decide on a name, so it was the least of her worries right then. "Come on, let's see what the men are up to," Violet let her from the nursery and back down the stairs, only to find both men staring at the television, while the news played. "What is it...?"

"An explosion of some kind." David said, his eyes dark as he stared at the screen, the news anchor looking grim as he reported several deaths had been accounted for but many more were probable. "A gas leak?" The old man murmured to himself as he looked at the three people in the room with him, noticing how pale the young woman's face had gone as she stared in silence at the screen. Fear rippled across her features but then she turned, noticing his eyes on her, and he tried to offer a reassuring sort of smile. "I'm sure they'll get things sorted out," he gestured to Violet as he rose up from the couch. "Let's go check things out." David had once been a firefighter so something like this was right up his alley. "We'll let you know what we find out." He smiled at the both of them and then after a few goodbyes, they were both gone.

"You don't think..." Ginny pounced at once, as Draco knew she would, her eyes wide in her pale face. "It couldn't be..." They both knew what that explosion really could have been. It wouldn't have been the first one to happen in a Muggle city or town, a mysterious explosion that no one could explain. Magic, that was the explanation behind those. Ginny's fear was evident and Draco reached out to brush a lock of hair behind her ear. "Are we still safe here?" She whispered and Draco could feel her tremble beneath his touch.

"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. To either of you," he said firmly, his hand cupping her cheek, looking into her eyes. "There's no need to panic, Gin. It could be nothing." He wasn't going to admit to her that his first thought was where they were going to go next. But, there was no reason to jump to any sort of conclusion. Not yet, anyway. "Let's wait to see what David says. Maybe it really was just an unfortunate accident." Ginny gave a single nod, but she didn't look entirely convinced. Draco didn't blame her. She mumbled something about laying down and slipped from the room, leaving Draco alone with his own raging thoughts and worries.

He felt it, deep inside, that something was about to happen.


	7. Chapter 7

They had settled in rather easily. Or as easily as two people on the run could settle into a place they'd never been to. The Muggle town was small and secluded, it's distance from Diagon Alley well over an hour by Muggle transportation. Draco had heard of this town through his father the year before, when Greyback had attacked and killed a kid there the night of a full moon. How it had been the first place to come to mind, he wasn't sure, but he was glad it had.

It seemed like they could be safe there- the street was small and the next door neighbors were an elderly couple who had already waved at him twice. He tried to settle in without looking like an obvious fish out of water, but felt paranoid that everyone could see right through him. Ginny on the other hand seemed to settle right in, having already visited the local market early their second day in the town. Having grown up with a Muggle obsessed father seemed to have benefited her greatly for she could use all the household appliances with ease, while Draco still struggled to turn the stove on a week into their stay. Living like a Muggle would prove to be a challenge, but Draco knew that he would do anything it took to protect Ginny and their unborn child.

Speaking of... He glanced down in the bed, to where Ginny last fast asleep, the morning sunlight spilling through the curtains above their bed. He was still adjusting to her new look, as well as his own, and he found he missed her vivid hair more than anything else. Instead, her hair was the darkest shade of brown possible, nearly black, and gone were her trademark Weasley freckles. Even the eyes behind the closed lids had changed from brown to the deepest blue. Draco reached up to touch his own hair, a mousey brown color now, and knew his own eyes to have become brown rather than their usual gray. Even in a Muggle town, they could never be too careful. And besides, their appearances were far too well known to risk sporting right then.

Deciding he could sleep no longer, Draco slid out from under the covers, careful not to disturb Ginny, and left the bedroom. The clock in the kitchen told him it was just after ten, a little late to their usual wake up time. But, he decided he'd let Ginny sleep on until she woke- she needed her rest, after all. Turning to the counter, he wondered if he might tackle the coffee maker as Ginny had shown him how to use it the morning before. Grabbing the pot, he filled it as she had instructed him and dumped it into the back. Just as he pressed the button that started the brew, he heard the soft footsteps overhead, telling him Ginny was awake. So much for her sleeping in. He grabbed down two mugs, fully prepared to make her a cup of tea, when he heard it...

Knock, knock

Nearly leaping from his skin, Draco turned on the spot to stare out from the kitchen to the front door. Had he... Had he only imagined it? No... Knock, knock. There it was again! He crept towards the door and saw Ginny standing on the bottom stair, her unfamiliar blue eyes staring back at him. "Stay there," he instructed her softly, hand moving to his pocket where he stil yet kept his wand. Though it didn't strike him that Voldemort or his Death Eaters would bother knocking on their front door, he knew he couldn't take any chances.

Approaching the door, he heard the muffled sounds of voices- voices that sounded as if they were arguing. I told you it was too early, he heard a male voice say as he hesitantly grasped the doorknob. His other hand still stuffed into his pocket, Draco opened the door, revealing to his surprise not Death Eaters, but the old couple from next door. "Oh! Good morning!" The old woman said with a beaming smile, a twinkle in her light blue eyes. "I hope we didn't wake you!" She held out her hands, in which she held a covered pan. "We brought you a cake." Draco remained still and silent, staring at the couple with what he knew was a shocked face, knowing he was rude for not even yet speaking to them. He heard footsteps behind him and then there was Ginny, her smile radiant as she greeted the two stranger's on their door step. "I'm Violet and this is my husband David." The old woman grinned at them as Ginny tugged Draco in, allowing them entry to the home.

"I'm Molly, this is my husband John," Ginny said as she closed the door behind them, finding amusement in the old couple that had descended upon them. Draco was looking distrustful and so she shot him a warning glance and at once he put on a grin, as if he was not paranoid over who these people were. They had agreed on their fake names only the day before, she using her middle name and Draco using "the most ordinary name he could think of," their backstory painting them as young newlyweds with a whole future ahead of them.

"You just moved in, didn't you?" The old man, David, asked as Ginny gestured for them to sit, saying she would grab the coffee Draco had so freshly brewed. Violet followed her into the kitchen, saying she would gladly help her out. "I was surprised it went so fast, old man Nicholson only just put it up the day before you moved in." Draco ran a hand through his hair, coughing slightly as he said they had merely been in the right place at the right time. Meanwhile, they had Confunded the seller of the home, giving them the opportunity to get into the house with no trouble at all. Ginny had felt bad about doing it, but Draco promised her they'd make it right with him when all was said and done. "You two newlyweds, then?"

Draco smiled and nodded, the story an easy one to stick with. "Yeah, a few months ago," he replied, to which the old man grinned right back at him. "It seems like a quiet neighborhood," he went on as he sat down in the armchair while David took to the couch. "Have you two lived here long?" He could hear Ginny and Violet's soft undertones from the kitchen, could hear the clang of china against the counter, and could smell the brewing coffee. He heard the microwave beep then, telling him Ginny had finished making the mug of tea he'd began for her only minutes before.

"It's quiet enough- perfect for a family," David winked at him and Draco arched a brow in surprise, following his line of sight into the kitchen. Sure enough, Ginny was turned to the side and for the first time he noticed the slight swell of her stomach, noticed the way she kept a hand protectively against it. When had that happened? "You two will love it here. You guys can use our pool, by the way. The kid will love it." David grinned as the two women came back to the living room, passing out the mugs to the men before taking their own respective seats- Violet beside David, Ginny on the arm rest of the chair Draco sat in.

"I was just telling Molly that you two should join us for dinner one of these nights." Violet smiled as she sipped her coffee. "We remember being the newlyweds on the block- Mr. Nicholson and his wife made us feel welcomed from our very first day here, didn't they David?" Her husband nodded and Violet turned back to the two of them sitting across from her. "When is your little one due, anyways?" The first thing Violet had noticed about the two of them was just how young they seemed- much too young for marriage and babies. The girl looked tired, beyond first pregnancy tired, and the boy's eyes were full of suspicion, as if he didn't trust anything around him. She wondered just what their story really was.

This was something Ginny did have a real answer to. Her mother had managed to, somehow, find someone from St. Mungo's who wasn't with Voldemort, and they'd gone to see her, to ensure everything was going as planned with her pregnancy. "Oh, in October." She replied with a smile, tenderly touching the small swell that was her abdomen. Overnight it seemed she had grown a bump, small as it was. "Do you have children?"

Such a question opened up the conversation and before they knew it, she and Draco knew everything about the old couple from next door; they had three children, several grandchildren, and had been married for fifty years now. They recommended restaurants, doctors, and everything in-between for them. When the clock struck noon, they finally rose up from the couch, promising to be over soon and with another meal or two. Seeing them off, Draco closed the door when they had crossed back over to their own yard, and Ginny could not help but to laugh at his expense. "They're harmless," she grinned as he turned to her, his dark eyes something she was still yet unused to.

"You can't blame me for worrying," Draco replied, taking her into his arms for a long moment, before he dropped down, his palm following the curve of her belly. "I can't help it," he said softly and Ginny slipped her hands into his hair, the color different, but the feel of it all the same. He tilted his head back to look up into her face and she smiled down at him, knowing just how incredibly lucky she was to have him at her side.

Both of them were lucky, she reminded herself, both she and their unborn child, who was lucky enough to have Draco for a father. They were young and they didn't know what they were doing... But they would always love and care for their child, no matter what happened. And that was what mattered.

[ x x x ]

True to their word, Violet and David Jones made numerous appearances at their home in the following weeks. And even they went next door, joining the old couple for various lunches and dinners. Violet dropped off baby clothes and other various things necessary for raising a child while Draco helped David with their yard work. Violet and Ginny spent countless hours out on a porch, in a living room, anywhere, with mugs of tea or cups of lemonade cradled in their hands. After nearly two months of living there on that Muggle street, they had developed a strong bond with their elderly next door neighbors.

May went and passed and then so did June, the weeks passing them by without any worries whatsoever. It felt odd to slip into a state of normalcy- or as normal as their life could be, Ginny supposed. She received fairly regular updates from her mother as well as Remus, and of course they kept tabs on what was happening in the wizarding world as best they could. But, above all else they strived to fit in and go unnoticed by all. It seemed as if they had achieved such a thing, for aside from the Jones', no one else seemed to pay them any attention at all. They made frequent trips into town- the market, mostly, but sometimes the local library or various restaurants.

Draco's eighteenth birthday had passed them by, a day which they celebrated with Violet and David, though they had thought him to be turning twenty-one rather than eighteen. if the two suspected them of lying about their ages, they certainly didn't say anything about it. But, Ginny had a hunch Violet knew they weren't always being one hundred percent honest with them. However the old woman had yet to speak on it, and for that Ginny was thankful. The days continued to pass them by, including the rest of summer, meaning they celebrated her own seventeenth birthday in August. Had they been in their own world, she'd have been considered an adult in her own right. It would have been her final year at Hogwarts and she would have been able to join the Order of her own accord. But, she wasn't, and her life had an entirely new meaning these days.

As September began, Ginny began to realize just how quickly time was going by. Two months from that very day she would more than likely be holding her own child. Draco's child. She looked across the room at where he sat, reading a recent letter from Remus, his mouth a frown as he concentrated on Remus' words. They had been extremely lucky these last few months, having lived in continued safety, with not even one run-in with Death Eaters. That didn't mean they still didn't worry- Draco lived in a constant state of paranoia, though it certainly had lessened in the last few months. "Your mum and dad came back," Draco spoke up suddenly, bringing her back from her own thoughts. Surprise filled her and she sat up a little straighter on the couch, a hand pressed lightly to her bulging stomach. He had stood up, coming over to hand her the letter, which sure enough told her that her parents had returned from Romania, but did not state where they were. A moment of longing filled her and Ginny wished she could see her mother, especially at a time like now, she needed her mother's guidance in these final months of pregnancy.

But, she'd manage on her own. Besides, she wasn't really alone she reminded herself as she looked up at Draco, who grinned down at her. "I wonder why," she said, handing him back the letter as she struggled up onto her feet for her third bathroom trip that morning. "It's not like the danger has passed." Her worry was evident and Draco took her by the wrist, drawing her as close to him as he could. "Do you think..." She pulled back, tilting her head as he put a hand against her stomach where within they could both feel the strong movements of their child. "The final battle...?"

Draco shrugged, as if he didn't already know the truth. The last thing he wanted to do was worry her and so that was why he didn't tell her the details of every letter Remus sent. He didn't want her to know that at one point, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been captured by Voldemort's snatchers. He didn't want her to know that her parents had been discovered in Romania and had barely been able to escape with their lives. He didn't want her to know that Voldemort had yet to give up his quest to find her and use her as bait or whatever other evil things he had planned. And he especially didn't want her to know that Voldemort knew about the two of them, as well as their child. He wouldn't allow such dark thoughts to penetrate their little world, not yet, not when they had come so far and now were so close to the end. The final battle would happen, Remus had told him, and it would happen before Christmas. "Don't worry about it," Draco said softly, brushing a kiss to her mouth before releasing her, watching her as she headed off towards the bathroom. He had made a vow to always protect her and he would do just that. Both her and their child, who's imminent arrival was beginning to cause him some anxiety.

Not that he was going to admit that of course.

There came a knock to the door and just as Draco had suspected, it was Violet, bringing over a casserole pan covered in foil. "I thought you two might enjoy some lasagna," she smiled as he opened the door, offering it out for Draco to take. "Especially since Molly was having those contractions yesterday..."

The casserole pan almost fell from his hands and Draco quickly righted the pan before it could hit the ground. "Wh-what did you say?" His mind was spinning as he swiveled to face Ginny, who had returned from the bathroom, a smile appearing as she saw Violet in their doorway. "You never told me you were having..."

"Because I knew you'd react like this. They were nothing." Ginny rolled her eyes as she took the casserole pan from his trembling hands. "And I haven't had any others, anyway." She went on, gesturing for Violet to follow her into the kitchen when she would put the pan away until it was time for dinner. "Thanks for this," she said as she turned to face the older woman with a smile, a hand resting on her stomach as she leaned back on the counter. "I swear if I could go the rest of my time without getting up, I would."

"I know the feeling dear, just you rest when you can, you need it." Violet ushered her into a chair and moved about the kitchen as if it were her own. "Are you sure you're well? You are a little pale today." Ginny felt a surge of affection for this woman but also felt a twinge of sorrow at the thought of her mother. Tears filled her eyes and she turned away, brushing them away in hopes Violet would not have even noticed. In truth, Ginny had felt the sharp pain of a contraction that morning in the bathroom, but it had been one and done, something she supposed had to be normal. "Did you guys finish the nursery?" Violet asked then, turning the conversation into another direction entirely. She and David had always wondered about these two, so young and with no one there to help them. David had asked John about their families, but he'd said his were dead and they didn't speak to hers. Violet had cried when she'd heard that, knowing the two kids next door had no one but each other. And maybe that was why she wanted to help them so much. And so when the young woman's face broke out into a grin at the mention of the nursery, she felt her own heart flutter.

In truth, they had finished it, but only with the use of magic. "Yeah, you want to see?" Ginny asked, thankful for a distraction from her own emotions. Violet nodded and they set off up the stairs, coming to a stop before the third door down the hall, just next to the master bedroom. Pushing open the door, Ginny led the woman into the small room and turned to face her. "What do you think?" The room had been painted a soft blue-gray and the crib was against the eastern wall, its bedding the same shade of gray but with white stripes. A rocking chair was in the corner- one she recognized as the one David had made for them the month before. A dresser was against the other wall, one she knew was full of clothes for the baby that would be there probably sooner than either Molly or John realized.

"It's wonderful," Violet said with a smile, reaching out to touch Ginny's hand. "So, have you two decided on any names?" Now that was the difficult part. Everything else had been easy so far, but choosing a name? Ginny wasn't certain the kid would ever have one. Seeing her face, Violet laughed and patted her hand. "We didn't name our oldest until he was three days old. They don't mind much that young, anyways." Ginny laughed as well, knowing that was true after all. Anyways, she reminded herself they still had two months to decide on a name, so it was the least of her worries right then. "Come on, let's see what the men are up to," Violet let her from the nursery and back down the stairs, only to find both men staring at the television, while the news played. "What is it...?"

"An explosion of some kind." David said, his eyes dark as he stared at the screen, the news anchor looking grim as he reported several deaths had been accounted for but many more were probable. "A gas leak?" The old man murmured to himself as he looked at the three people in the room with him, noticing how pale the young woman's face had gone as she stared in silence at the screen. Fear rippled across her features but then she turned, noticing his eyes on her, and he tried to offer a reassuring sort of smile. "I'm sure they'll get things sorted out," he gestured to Violet as he rose up from the couch. "Let's go check things out." David had once been a firefighter so something like this was right up his alley. "We'll let you know what we find out." He smiled at the both of them and then after a few goodbyes, they were both gone.

"You don't think..." Ginny pounced at once, as Draco knew she would, her eyes wide in her pale face. "It couldn't be..." They both knew what that explosion really could have been. It wouldn't have been the first one to happen in a Muggle city or town, a mysterious explosion that no one could explain. Magic, that was the explanation behind those. Ginny's fear was evident and Draco reached out to brush a lock of hair behind her ear. "Are we still safe here?" She whispered and Draco could feel her tremble beneath his touch.

"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. To either of you," he said firmly, his hand cupping her cheek, looking into her eyes. "There's no need to panic, Gin. It could be nothing." He wasn't going to admit to her that his first thought was where they were going to go next. But, there was no reason to jump to any sort of conclusion. Not yet, anyway. "Let's wait to see what David says. Maybe it really was just an unfortunate accident." Ginny gave a single nod, but she didn't look entirely convinced. Draco didn't blame her. She mumbled something about laying down and slipped from the room, leaving Draco alone with his own raging thoughts and worries.

He felt it, deep inside, that something was about to happen.


End file.
